50836 is a Republican stronghold. About 21% of voters here vote Democratic and 79% Republican.
About 90% of adults in 50836 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 50836, ~19% vote Democratic, ~71% Republican, and ~10% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 50836 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 50836 leans more Republican than 6 of 9 neighbors.
50836 runs about 45 points more Republican than Iowa as a whole.
Why 50836 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 50836, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with low college attainment vote Republican. About 13% of adults in 50836 hold a bachelor's degree, about 11 points below the Iowa average of 24%.
Population density and Republican lean
Places with low population density tend to lean Republican; 50836, IA sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 50836 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 50836 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 66%, about 6 points above the U.S. average of 60%. 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.