72116 leans slightly Democratic by roughly 8 points: about 54% of voters vote Democratic and 46% Republican.
About 68% of adults in 72116 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 72116, ~37% vote Democratic, ~31% Republican, and ~32% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 72116 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 72116 leans more Democratic than 7 of 22 neighbors.
72116 runs about 39 points more Democratic than Arkansas as a whole. Arkansas leans Republican overall, while 72116 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 72116. The west side runs the most Democratic (D+37) and the northeast side runs the most Republican (R+7), a spread of about 44 points.
Why 72116 leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per zip code to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for 72116, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 97% of residents in 72116 live in densely developed areas, about 60 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 72116 sits in the top quarter (about 42%, above 83% of zip codes). 72116 runs against the grain of Arkansas, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; 72116, AR sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in 72116 looks the way it does
Areas with high high-school completion turn out at higher rates. About 97% of adults in 72116 have completed high school, about 10 points above the Arkansas average of 87%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Zip Codes
Zip Codes with Similar Populations
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Arkansas Secretary of State, Elections, distributed by the Voting and Election Science Team. Demographic inputs come from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates and the 2020 Decennial Census). Health and environmental inputs come from the CDC (PLACES and the Environmental Justice Index). Land cover comes from the USGS and EPA. Election-day and lead-up weather come from PRISM 4km daily grids and the NOAA Global Historical Climatology Network. Mail-voting and election-administration patterns come from the MIT Election Lab's Survey of the Performance of American Elections. Block-group crime detail comes from CrimeGrade. Internet data and modeling support provided by ISPreports.org.
Modeling and analysis by the BestNeighborhood data science team. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.