Tama County leans Republican by roughly 24 points: about 38% of voters vote Democratic and 62% Republican.
About 85% of adults in Tama County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Tama County, ~32% vote Democratic, ~53% Republican, and ~15% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Tama County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Tama County leans more Republican than 4 of 12 neighbors.
Tama County runs about 11 points more Republican than Iowa as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Tama County. The southeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+45) and the south side is the least Republican-leaning (R+10), a spread of about 35 points.
Why Tama County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Tama County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; Tama County, IA sits below the national average on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in Tama County looks the way it does
Turnout in Tama County 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 Counties
- Marshall County, IA R+17
- Grundy County, IA R+42
- Poweshiek County, IA R+19
- Benton County, IA R+36
- Black Hawk County, IA D+3
- Iowa County, IA R+38
- Jasper County, IA R+28
- Hardin County, IA R+40
- Buchanan County, IA R+36
- Butler County, IA R+43
Counties with Similar Populations
- Mariposa County, CA R+16
- Henry County, AL R+45
- Arkansas County, AR R+33
- Mason County, KY R+42
- Chickasaw County, MS R+12
- Cooper County, MO R+46
- Franklin County, AR R+64
- Park County, MT R+14
- Ben Hill County, GA R+17
- Dallas County, MO R+66
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.