52242 is a Democratic stronghold. About 77% of voters here vote Democratic and 23% Republican.
About 59% of adults in 52242 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 52242, ~45% vote Democratic, ~14% Republican, and ~41% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 52242 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 52242 is the most Democratic-leaning.
52242 runs about 67 points more Democratic than Iowa as a whole. Iowa leans Republican overall, while 52242 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Why 52242 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 52242, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 80% of adults in 52242 hold a bachelor's degree, about 51 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Dense areas vote Democratic, and 52242 sits in the top fifth on density (about 94%, above 91% of zip codes). 52242 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; 52242, IA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 52242 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 53% of households in 52242 rent, about 28 points above the U.S. average of 25%. 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.