HarrisDemocratic49.9%194,312TrumpRepublican48.3%188,111OtherAll other candidates1.8%6,949
D+1.6- Lead
- 6,201
- Total
- 389,372
- vs nation
- D+3.1
Akashicmetro area
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Office (updates table and map)
President margin by year
Place winner margin
6 counties by 2024 margin · County returns · MIT Election Lab
President results by year
Vote totals, margins, and source status
BidenDemocratic52.0%198,559TrumpRepublican45.9%175,432OtherAll other candidates2.1%8,204
D+6.1- Lead
- 23,127
- Total
- 382,195
- vs nation
- D+1.6
ClintonDemocratic47.2%157,435TrumpRepublican44.2%147,193OtherAll other candidates8.6%28,600
D+3.1- Lead
- 10,242
- Total
- 333,228
- vs nation
- D+1.0
ObamaDemocratic53.2%174,048RomneyRepublican44.9%146,822OtherAll other candidates1.9%6,061
D+8.3- Lead
- 27,226
- Total
- 326,931
- vs nation
- D+4.5
ObamaDemocratic54.0%165,040McCainRepublican44.2%135,213OtherAll other candidates1.8%5,401
D+9.8- Lead
- 29,827
- Total
- 305,654
- vs nation
- D+2.5
KerryDemocratic50.1%143,289BushRepublican49.1%140,496OtherAll other candidates0.8%2,239
D+1.0- Lead
- 2,793
- Total
- 286,024
- vs nation
- D+3.4
GoreDemocratic50.2%122,082BushRepublican47.3%115,085OtherAll other candidates2.6%6,256
D+2.9- Lead
- 6,997
- Total
- 243,423
- vs nation
- D+2.4
ClintonDemocratic53.0%115,412DoleRepublican39.3%85,434OtherAll other candidates7.7%16,794
D+13.8- Lead
- 29,978
- Total
- 217,640
- vs nation
- D+5.3
Key facts
- 2024 presidential margin
- D+1.6MIT Election Lab
- Population
- 731,1202024 5-year
- Population density
- 202 / sq mi2024 5-year · TIGER/Line
- Land area
- 3,613 sq miTIGER/Line
- Median household income
- $86,6182024 5-year
- White (non-Hispanic)
- 77.4%2024 5-year
- Black
- 5.6%2024 5-year
- Hispanic / Latino
- 8.7%2024 5-year
- Peak Democratic margin
- D+32.0 in 1964MIT Election Lab
- Peak Republican margin
- R+49.5 in 1924MIT Election Lab
- Most similar
- Madison, WI · twin score 91.6
presidential history
Party record book
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA · the strongest Democratic and Republican presidential performances recorded here, measured three ways.
1892–2024 · 34 presidential cycles
Highest vote share
Largest share of the presidential candidate vote cast here.
Democratic
Lyndon B. Johnson1964
65.8%
105,976 votes · D+32.0
Runner-up · Michael Dukakis, 1988 · 58.9%
Republican
Theodore Roosevelt1904
69.0%
29,971 votes · R+46.9
Runner-up · Warren G. Harding, 1920 · 68.3%
Most votes
Largest number of votes cast for the party’s presidential nominee here.
Democratic
Joe Biden2020
198,559votes
52.0% of the vote · D+6.1
Runner-up · Kamala Harris, 2024 · 194,312 votes
Republican
Donald Trump2024
188,111votes
48.3% of the vote · D+1.6
Runner-up · Donald Trump, 2020 · 175,432 votes
Best relative to the U.S.
This Place’s margin against the national margin in the same election — positive when it leaned toward the party more than the country did.
Democratic
Michael Dukakis1988
+26.2pts D vs U.S.
Place D+18.5 · U.S. R+7.7
Runner-up · Walter Mondale, 1984 · +19.9 pts
Republican
Theodore Roosevelt1904
+27.3pts R vs U.S.
Place R+46.9 · U.S. R+19.7
Runner-up · Calvin Coolidge, 1924 · +24.3 pts
U.S. House elections · 3 House
Senate and governor results are in the Office selector at the top of this page.
U.S. House
Each row shows U.S. House votes counted inside this Place. “Vote lead” is the local lead here, not necessarily the winner of the full contest.
voter registration
Registered voters
By party of registration, over time
Party registration · 2024D+3.3
Presidential vote · 2024D+1.6
Registration and the presidential vote track closely here — within 1.7 points.
DemocraticRepublicanUnaffiliatedOther parties
| Year | Total registered | Democratic | Republican | Unaffiliated | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 413,473 | 161,155 | 120,133 | 131,988 | 197 |
| 2010 | 392,492 | 148,238 | 122,173 | 121,664 | 417 |
| 2012 | 411,356 | 148,248 | 130,658 | 131,825 | 625 |
| 2014 | 417,890 | 144,322 | 130,884 | 141,199 | 1,485 |
| 2016 | 441,508 | 157,250 | 140,167 | 141,170 | 2,921 |
| 2018 | 453,576 | 162,912 | 136,032 | 150,156 | 4,476 |
| 2020 | 484,725 | 187,332 | 147,757 | 144,707 | 4,929 |
| 2022 | 492,295 | 181,903 | 149,355 | 156,002 | 5,035 |
| 2024 | 506,924 | 173,877 | 157,279 | 170,375 | 5,393 |
domestic migration
Who moves in and out
Net domestic migration over time
+2,791 net domestic migration · 2025
20112025
Net +58,433 over 2011–2025 · gain loss
| Year | Net domestic migration |
|---|---|
| 2011 | +3,311 |
| 2012 | +2,716 |
| 2013 | +4,619 |
| 2014 | +5,463 |
| 2015 | +4,211 |
| 2016 | +5,629 |
| 2017 | +4,888 |
| 2018 | +4,793 |
| 2019 | +3,718 |
| 2021 | +5,886 |
| 2022 | +3,511 |
| 2023 | +2,656 |
| 2024 | +4,241 |
| 2025 | +2,791 |
The Des Moines–West Des Moines metro casts roughly a quarter of Iowa's statewide vote, and its fast-growing suburban collar counties have shifted margins noticeably over successive election cycles, making it a reliable bellwether for statewide outcomes.
Across the recorded series it reached a Democratic high of 32.0 points in 1964 and a Republican high of 49.5 points in 1924. Between 2020 and 2024 the metro moved 4.5 points toward the Republican candidate; the 2024 margin was 1.6 points.
A population of 731,120, a 77% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $86,618 describe the metro. The metro's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Madison, WI and Iowa City, IA.
Political twins — metros
The metros whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.
Madison, WI
91.6twin score
population scalemedian income% Evangelical≠ 2024 margin
Iowa City, IA
90.3twin score
2000–2016 trajectory% Evangelical≠ 2008 margin
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
90.2twin score
2000–2020 trajectory≠ population scale
Twin score (0–100) = weighted cosine between tier-standardized fingerprints: presidential margins 2000–2024 with 12-yr trend and elasticity, ACS income, age, education, population and race, top reported ancestries, and religious adherence — chips name the closest-shared dimensions and the widest gap. Re-weight the groups in the twins explorer.
Compare two places, side by side
Twelve curated comparisons line up election history, demographics, and the divergence story for two places at a glance. Browse all comparisons →
Cite this page
All citations released under CC BY 4.0. Attribution: Akashic Intelligence.
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, Iowa. Akashic. https://akashic.app/cbsa/19780/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.
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Frequently asked questions
How did Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, Iowa vote in 2024?
In 2024, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, Iowa voted Democratic by 1.6 points (D+1.6), carried by the Democratic candidate. Out of 389,372 votes cast, 194,312 went Democratic and 188,111 went Republican.
When did Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, Iowa last vote Republican?
The most recent presidential election in which Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, Iowa voted Republican was 1980.
How many people live in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, Iowa?
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, Iowa has a population of 731,120 according to the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the US Census Bureau.
What is the median household income in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, Iowa?
Median household income in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, Iowa is $86,618 — above the national median of $80,734. The Iowa state median is $75,059.
What is the political history of Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, Iowa?
Akashic tracks 34 presidential elections in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, Iowa from 1892 to 2024. Of those, 17 went Democratic and 16 went Republican.