52402 leans Democratic by roughly 18 points: about 59% of voters vote Democratic and 41% Republican.
About 75% of adults in 52402 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 52402, ~44% vote Democratic, ~31% Republican, and ~25% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 52402 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 52402 leans more Democratic than 19 of 21 neighbors.
52402 runs about 32 points more Democratic than Iowa as a whole. Iowa leans Republican overall, while 52402 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 52402. The south side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+33) and the east side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+14), a spread of about 19 points.
Why 52402 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 52402, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 92% of residents in 52402 live in densely developed areas, about 56 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 52402 sits in the top quarter (about 41%, above 82% of zip codes). 52402 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; 52402, 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 52402 looks the way it does
Turnout in 52402 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.