50316 leans Democratic by roughly 28 points: about 64% of voters vote Democratic and 36% Republican.
About 45% of adults in 50316 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 50316, ~29% vote Democratic, ~16% Republican, and ~55% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 50316 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 50316 leans more Democratic than 28 of 33 neighbors.
50316 runs about 40 points more Democratic than Iowa as a whole. Iowa leans Republican overall, while 50316 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 50316. The east side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+50) and the northeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+3), a spread of about 47 points.
Why 50316 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 50316, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 98% of residents in 50316 live in densely developed areas, about 61 points above the U.S. average of 36%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 44% of adults in 50316 have never been married, above 92% of zip codes. 50316 runs against the grain of Iowa, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 50316, IA sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 50316 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 50316 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 29% of adults in 50316 report food insecurity, above 93% of zip codes. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and 50316 sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. 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.