52557 leans Democratic by roughly 28 points: about 64% of voters vote Democratic and 36% Republican.
About 77% of adults in 52557 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 52557, ~49% vote Democratic, ~28% Republican, and ~23% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 52557 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 52557 is the most Democratic-leaning.
52557 runs about 41 points more Democratic than Iowa as a whole. Iowa leans Republican overall, while 52557 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 52557. The north side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+45) and the west side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+8), a spread of about 37 points.
Why 52557 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 52557, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 52% of adults in 52557 hold a bachelor's degree, about 24 points above the U.S. average of 28%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 56% of adults in 52557 have never been married, above 97% of zip codes. 52557 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; 52557, 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 52557 looks the way it does
Turnout in 52557 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.