North Iowa's regional hub where rural-to-urban migration shapes the ballot
Mason City anchors a trade-area economy built on manufacturing and agriculture, producing a competitive mix of working-class voters that has swung presidential margins by double digits across recent cycles.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cerro Gordo | 46K | R+11.6 | 9,955 | 12,627 | 23,020 | 21.1% |
| Cerro Gordo | 44K | R+11.6 | 9,955 | 12,627 | 23,020 | 21.1% |
| Cerro Gordo | 43K | R+11.6 | 9,955 | 12,627 | 23,020 | 21.1% |
| Cerro Gordo | 43K | R+11.6 | 9,955 | 12,627 | 23,020 | 21.1% |
| Worth | 8K | R+28.1 | 1,508 | 2,715 | 4,287 | 3.9% |
| Worth | 8K | R+28.1 | 1,508 | 2,715 | 4,287 | 3.9% |
| Worth | 8K | R+28.1 | 1,508 | 2,715 | 4,287 | 3.9% |
| Worth | 7K | R+28.1 | 1,508 | 2,715 | 4,287 | 3.9% |
| Group | Mason City, IA | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 92.6% | 57.4% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(10) | 3.7% | 19.3% |
▶Black / African American(5) | 1.3% | 12.2% |
Multiracial / Other | 1.2% | 4.0% |
▶Asian(6) | 0.8% | 6.0% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.2% | 0.9% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(2) | 0.1% | 0.9% |
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -10.2pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Evangelical-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Republican-leaning rural and exurban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27.4% | 47.4% | — | — | |
| 15.6% | 27.0% | — | — | |
| 12.3% | 21.3% | — | — | |
| 2.0% | 3.4% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 0.7% | 1.2% | — | — |
| 0.6% | 1.0% | — | — | |
Non-religiousPopulation | 42.2% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Mason City, IA metro area? 206,750 residents across 8 counties.
21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 12pp below the national average. Places with similar education levels vote R+15 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 | R+12.2 | R+17.7 | 5.4pp |