50321 leans Democratic by roughly 18 points: about 59% of voters vote Democratic and 41% Republican.
About 77% of adults in 50321 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 50321, ~45% vote Democratic, ~32% Republican, and ~23% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 50321 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 50321 leans more Democratic than 26 of 34 neighbors.
50321 runs about 31 points more Democratic than Iowa as a whole. Iowa leans Republican overall, while 50321 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 50321. The northeast side runs the most Democratic (D+27) and the south side runs the most Republican (Even), a spread of about 27 points.
Why 50321 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 50321, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 41% of adults in 50321 hold a bachelor's degree, about 12 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting, and non-Hispanic white share in 50321 is about 72%, below 66% of zip codes. 50321 runs against the grain of Iowa, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; 50321, IA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in 50321 looks the way it does
Turnout in 50321 sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. 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.