University town anchoring one of the Midwest's most educated metros
Home to the University of Iowa, Iowa City's metro turns out among the highest shares of college-degree holders in the state, a demographic pattern that has increasingly tilted its margins toward Democratic candidates in recent election cycles.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson | 157K | D+37.8 | 58,846 | 26,087 | 86,644 | 22.1% |
| Johnson | 142K | D+37.8 | 58,846 | 26,087 | 86,644 | 22.1% |
| Johnson | 126K | D+37.8 | 58,846 | 26,087 | 86,644 | 22.1% |
| Johnson | 111K | D+37.8 | 58,846 | 26,087 | 86,644 | 22.1% |
| Washington | 23K | R+24.4 | 4,297 | 7,119 | 11,588 | 2.9% |
| Washington | 22K | R+24.4 | 4,297 | 7,119 | 11,588 | 2.9% |
| Washington | 21K | R+24.4 | 4,297 | 7,119 | 11,588 | 2.9% |
| Washington | 21K | R+24.4 | 4,297 | 7,119 | 11,588 | 2.9% |
| Group | Iowa City, IA | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 83.5% | 57.4% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(17) | 4.7% | 19.3% |
▶Black / African American(14) | 4.7% | 12.2% |
▶Asian(6) | 4.6% | 6.0% |
Multiracial / Other | 2.3% | 4.0% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(10) | 0.8% | 0.9% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(2) | 0.2% | 0.9% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: +11.6pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Catholic-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Democratic-leaning urban and suburban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.7% | 38.1% | — | — | |
| 8.3% | 27.0% | — | — | |
| 6.8% | 22.0% | — | — | |
| 3.8% | 12.3% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 1.7% | 5.5% | — | — |
| 0.1% | 0.4% | — | — | |
Non-religiousPopulation | 69.3% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Iowa City, IA metro area? 621,959 residents across 8 counties.
47% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 14pp above the national average. Places with similar education levels vote D+16 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate vs Governor | D+34.5 | D+31.1 | 3.4pp |