Woodward leans heavily Republican by roughly 32 points: about 34% of voters vote Democratic and 66% Republican.
About 85% of adults in Woodward typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Woodward, ~29% vote Democratic, ~56% Republican, and ~15% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Woodward compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Woodward leans more Republican than 31 of 59 neighbors.
Woodward runs about 19 points more Republican than Iowa as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Woodward. The northwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+37) and the east side is the least Republican-leaning (R+26), a spread of about 11 points.
Why Woodward leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Woodward. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Food insecurity and voter turnout
Places with low food insecurity tend to turn out at a higher rate; Woodward, IA sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure. Food insecurity does not directly drive turnout; it reflects economic hardship, which lines up with lower voting.
Why turnout in Woodward looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Woodward 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 74%, about 14 points above the U.S. average of 60%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 97% of adults in Woodward have completed high school, above 88% of cities. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Bouton, IA R+35
- Madrid, IA R+25
- Granger Homesteads, IA R+32
- Luther, IA R+33
- Gardiner, IA R+36
- Granger, IA R+32
- Moingona, IA R+35
- Perry, IA R+6
- Sheldahl, IA R+28
- Minburn, IA R+35
Cities with Similar Populations
- Shorewood Hills, WI D+86
- Wimer, OR R+33
- Linden, AL R+7
- Greenup, IL R+55
- Lanai City, HI D+26
- Oakwood Hills, IL R+10
- Glendale, OH D+16
- Eldorado, TX R+43
- Golden Meadow, LA R+70
- Summitville, IN R+51
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.