52246 is a Democratic stronghold. About 76% of voters here vote Democratic and 24% Republican.
About 70% of adults in 52246 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 52246, ~53% vote Democratic, ~17% Republican, and ~30% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 52246 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 52246 leans more Democratic than 13 of 14 neighbors.
52246 runs about 66 points more Democratic than Iowa as a whole. Iowa leans Republican overall, while 52246 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 52246. The north side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+57) and the southeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+16), a spread of about 41 points.
Why 52246 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 52246, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 67% of adults in 52246 hold a bachelor's degree, about 38 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Dense areas vote Democratic, and 52246 sits in the top fifth on density (about 81%, above 83% of zip codes). 52246 runs against the grain of Iowa, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 52246, IA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 52246 looks the way it does
Turnout in 52246 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.