Fifty-seven percent of Iowa voters said the economy is the top issue facing the country. The federal budget deficit was the top issue for 19 percent of voters, the second-biggest group. Rising prices were the biggest economic issue for 45 percent of voters. Unemployment was the top issue for 28 percent of voters, and one in five saw taxes as the top issue. Voters were split, though, on which candidate would better handle the economy. A little more than half of voters blamed former President George W. Bush for the current state of the economy, with 37 percent blaming Obama.

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ARE THINGS GETTING BETTER?

By a two-to-one ratio, Iowa voters said the condition of the nation’s economy is “not so good” or “poor.” Thirty percent of voters saw the economy staying about the same, with 37 percent saying it’s getting better and 32 percent saying it’s getting worse.

Forty-four percent of voters felt their family’s economic situation was about the same as four years ago. Others were evenly split between their family income getting better or worse.

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AGE AND GENDER

In 2008, Obama won with a wave of younger voters. His support slipped 5 percentage points among voters under 29, compared with 2008, though he still carried that group 56 percent to Romney’s 40. But he also held leads among those ages 30-44 and 45-64. Obama and Romney split voters over 65.

Obama withstood a dropoff in support from men. He got half of their votes four years ago, but that fell to 44 percent on Tuesday. However, among women, it wasn’t even close — Obama carried women 59 percent to Romney’s 40 percent, according to the exit polling. Republicans were hammered this year by statements made by candidates in other states about rape and abortion.

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INCOME AND EDUCATION

Obama led 59 percent to 38 percent among voters who make less than $50,000 per year. He and Romney were even among voters who make $50,000 to $100,000. Romney led among voters who make more than $100,000. Obama held a slight lead among voters both with college degrees and those without.

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RELIGIOUS VOTERS

Voters who attend a religious service every week went for Romney, 63 percent to 37 percent. Obama carried those who go occasionally or never.

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ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

By nearly two-to-one, Iowa voters said the government is doing too many things that are better left to businesses and individuals.

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TAXES

Half of voters said taxes should rise for those making $250,000 or more per year — something Obama has favored. About one-third agreed with Romney that taxes shouldn’t go up for anybody.

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ENTHUSIASM

Obama’s voters appeared more enthusiastic. Voters who favored their candidate strongly — this was a majority of voters — were more likely to be Obama voters. Those who voted for their candidate with reservations were slightly more likely to be Romney voters. Obama won 55 percent of independent voters to Romney’s 41 percent, opening up a double-digit lead over Romney with a swing group in a swing state.

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UNDECIDED? NOT HERE

Some two-thirds of Iowa voters say they decided who to vote for before September.

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The survey of 3,580 Iowa voters was conducted for AP and the television networks by Edison Research. This includes results from interviews conducted as voters left a random sample of 45 precincts statewide Tuesday, as well as 502 who voted early or absentee and were interviewed by landline or cellular telephone from Oct. 26 through Nov. 3. Results for the full sample were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points; it is higher for subgroups.

Online: http://surveys.ap.org/exitpolls