50314 is a Democratic stronghold. About 76% of voters here vote Democratic and 24% Republican.
About 50% of adults in 50314 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 50314, ~38% vote Democratic, ~12% Republican, and ~50% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 50314 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 50314 is the most Democratic-leaning.
50314 runs about 65 points more Democratic than Iowa as a whole. Iowa leans Republican overall, while 50314 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 50314. The south side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+69) and the northeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+40), a spread of about 29 points.
Why 50314 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 50314, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 98% of residents in 50314 live in densely developed areas, about 62 points above the U.S. average of 36%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 50% of adults in 50314 have never been married, above 95% of zip codes. 50314 runs against the grain of Iowa, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 50314, 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 50314 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 50314 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 46%, about 22 points below the Iowa average of 68%. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 50% of households in 50314 rent, about 25 points above the U.S. average of 25%. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 39% of adults in 50314 report food insecurity, above 98% 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.