52036 leans heavily Republican by roughly 48 points: about 26% of voters vote Democratic and 74% Republican.
About 91% of adults in 52036 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 52036, ~24% vote Democratic, ~67% Republican, and ~9% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 52036 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 52036 leans more Republican than 10 of 13 neighbors.
52036 runs about 35 points more Republican than Iowa as a whole.
Why 52036 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 52036, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Car-dependent areas vote Republican. About 87% of residents in 52036 drive to work alone, about 13 points above the U.S. average of 74%. A high white share with below-average college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 52036 fits that profile on both counts.
Food insecurity and voter turnout
Places with low food insecurity tend to turn out at a higher rate; 52036, IA sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. Food insecurity does not directly drive turnout; it reflects economic hardship, which lines up with lower voting.
Why turnout in 52036 looks the way it does
Turnout in 52036 sits close to the national pattern. 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.