Riverside leans heavily Republican by roughly 34 points: about 33% of voters vote Democratic and 67% Republican.
About 81% of adults in Riverside typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Riverside, ~27% vote Democratic, ~54% Republican, and ~19% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Riverside compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Riverside leans more Republican than 25 of 50 neighbors.
Riverside runs about 21 points more Republican than Iowa as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Riverside. The southeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+39) and the northeast side is the least Republican-leaning (R+28), a spread of about 11 points.
Why Riverside leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Riverside. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Park access and Republican lean
Places with low park coverage tend to lean Republican; Riverside, IA sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in Riverside looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Riverside is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 71%, about 11 points above the U.S. average of 60%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- River Junction, IA R+34
- Sharon Center, IA R+28
- Hills, IA R+5
- Kalona, IA R+33
- Richmond, IA R+40
- Lone Tree, IA R+22
- Gladwin, IA R+44
- Williamstown, IA R+26
- Ainsworth, IA R+45
- Haskins, IA R+44
Cities with Similar Populations
- Fries, VA R+64
- Kyle, SD D+30
- Arlee, MT R+9
- Belle Rose, LA D+39
- Highland Mills, NY R+12
- Carmel, ME R+35
- Center City, MN R+28
- Maplesville, AL R+59
- Ash Flat, AR R+66
- Jeffersonville, VT D+5
All Local Stats
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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.