Ottumwa, IA
Safe Republican — shifted 7.8pp toward Republicans in 2024 — 35K residents — 1 counties
| Group | % |
|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 75.6% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(11) | 13.4% |
▶Black / African American(7) | 3.0% |
▶Asian(4) | 1.8% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.4% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(2) | 2.4% |
Multiracial / Other | 3.3% |
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents |
|---|---|---|
| Evangelical Protestant | 15.6% | 53.0% |
| Catholic | 7.7% | 26.2% |
| Mainline Protestant | 3.5% | 12.0% |
| Other | 1.8% | 6.2% |
| LDS (Mormon) | 0.9% | 3.2% |
| Black Protestant | 0.8% | 2.6% |
| Non-religious | 70.7% | — |
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Trump+31.4 |
| 2020 | Trump+23.6 |
| 2016 | Trump+20.4 |
| 2012 | Obama+11.9 |
| 2008 | Obama+13.5 |
| 2004 | Kerry+10.3 |
| 2000 | Gore+13.5 |
| 1996 | Clinton+24.4 |
| 1992 | Clinton+23.7 |
Ottumwa, IA is a metro area that has a population of 35,362. In the 2024 presidential election, it voted Republican with a margin of R+31.4. Akashic Edge tracks 40 presidential elections here, dating back to 1868.
| Year | Dem % | Rep % | Margin | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 33.6% | 65.0% | R+31.4 | R+7.8 |
| 2020 | 37.2% | 60.9% | R+23.6 | R+3.2 |
| 2016 | 36.6% | 57.0% | R+20.4 | R+32.3 |
| 2012 | 54.9% | 43.1% | D+11.9 | R+1.6 |
| 2008 | 55.3% | 41.8% | D+13.5 | D+3.2 |
| 2004 | 54.6% | 44.3% | D+10.3 | R+3.2 |
| 2000 | 55.2% | 41.7% | D+13.5 | R+10.9 |
| 1996 | 57.1% | 32.7% | D+24.4 | D+0.7 |
| 1992 | 53.9% | 30.2% | D+23.7 | R+7.1 |
| 1988 | 64.9% | 34.1% | D+30.8 | D+11.4 |
| 1984 | 59.2% | 39.9% | D+19.4 | D+11.2 |
| 1980 | 50.5% | 42.3% | D+8.2 | R+11.9 |
| 1976 | 59.4% | 39.3% | D+20.1 | D+25.3 |
| 1972 | 45.9% | 51.2% | R+5.2 | R+13.6 |
| 1968 | 50.3% | 42.0% | D+8.3 | R+34.9 |
| 1964 | 71.5% | 28.3% | D+43.2 | D+42.9 |
| 1960 | 50.1% | 49.8% | D+0.4 | R+2.3 |
| 1956 | 51.3% | 48.6% | D+2.6 | D+7.7 |
| 1952 | 47.2% | 52.2% | R+5.1 | R+20.7 |
| 1948 | 57.1% | 41.5% | D+15.6 | — |
What defines Ottumwa, IA?
Ottumwa, IA has been trending Republican — 43pp redder over the last 4 presidential cycles. It has a working-class, predominantly white electorate — strong Republican base territory.
Constituent Counties
Similar metro areas
Counties in Ottumwa, IA
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wapello | 35K | R+31.4 | 4,896 | 9,479 | 14,583 | 100.0% |
Ask the Historian
Key Insights
- Latest election (2024) was a Republican landslide with a 31.4% margin
- Won by both parties in recent history — Democrats most recently in 2012, Republicans in 2024
- Shifted 43.3 points toward Republicans over the last 4 elections
Who Lives Here
| Group | Ottumwa, IA | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 75.6% | 57.4% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(11) | 13.4% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 3.3% | 4.0% |
▶Black / African American(7) | 3.0% | 12.2% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(2) | 2.4% | 0.2% |
▶Asian(4) | 1.8% | 6.0% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.4% | 0.9% |
Religious Adherents
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -31.4pp (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15.6% | 53.0% | — | — | |
| 7.7% | 26.2% | — | — | |
| 3.5% | 12.0% | — | — | |
| 1.8% | 6.2% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 0.9% | 3.2% | — | — |
| 0.8% | 2.6% | — | — | |
Non-religiousPopulation | 70.7% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Ottumwa, IA metro area? 35,362 residents across 1 counties.
Demographics
20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 13pp 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.
Turnout in Ottumwa, IA
How competitive is Ottumwa, IA?
Do voters in Ottumwa, IA split their tickets?
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate vs Governor | R+26.5 | R+32.6 | 6.1pp |