50266 leans slightly Democratic by roughly 12 points: about 56% of voters vote Democratic and 44% Republican.
About 86% of adults in 50266 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 50266, ~48% vote Democratic, ~38% Republican, and ~14% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 50266 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 50266 leans more Democratic than 21 of 32 neighbors.
50266 runs about 26 points more Democratic than Iowa as a whole. Iowa leans Republican overall, while 50266 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 50266. The northeast side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+24) and the southwest side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+2), a spread of about 22 points.
Why 50266 leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per zip code to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for 50266, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 59% of adults in 50266 hold a bachelor's degree, about 30 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Dense areas vote Democratic, and 50266 sits in the top fifth on density (about 87%, above 86% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 39% of adults in 50266 have never been married, above 86% of zip codes.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 50266, IA sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 50266 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 50266 is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 75%, about 15 points above the U.S. average of 60%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 96% of adults in 50266 have completed high school, above 85% of zip codes. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Zip Codes
Zip Codes with Similar Populations
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Iowa Secretary of State, Elections, distributed by the Voting and Election Science Team. Demographic inputs come from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates and the 2020 Decennial Census). Health and environmental inputs come from the CDC (PLACES and the Environmental Justice Index). Land cover comes from the USGS and EPA. Election-day and lead-up weather come from PRISM 4km daily grids and the NOAA Global Historical Climatology Network. Mail-voting and election-administration patterns come from the MIT Election Lab's Survey of the Performance of American Elections. Block-group crime detail comes from CrimeGrade. Internet data and modeling support provided by ISPreports.org.
Modeling and analysis by the BestNeighborhood data science team. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.