52404 leans slightly Democratic by roughly 12 points: about 56% of voters vote Democratic and 44% Republican.
About 69% of adults in 52404 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 52404, ~39% vote Democratic, ~30% Republican, and ~31% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 52404 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 52404 leans more Democratic than 20 of 24 neighbors.
52404 runs about 25 points more Democratic than Iowa as a whole. Iowa leans Republican overall, while 52404 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 52404. The north side runs the most Democratic (D+24) and the south side runs the most Republican (R+8), a spread of about 32 points.
Why 52404 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 52404, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 78% of residents in 52404 live in densely developed areas, about 42 points above the U.S. average of 36%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 41% of adults in 52404 have never been married, above 88% of zip codes. 52404 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; 52404, 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 52404 looks the way it does
Turnout in 52404 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.