72160 leans slightly Republican by roughly 12 points: about 44% of voters vote Democratic and 56% Republican.
About 54% of adults in 72160 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 72160, ~24% vote Democratic, ~30% Republican, and ~46% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 72160 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 72160 is the least Republican-leaning.
72160 runs about 18 points more Democratic than Arkansas as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 72160. The north side runs the most Democratic (D+30) and the northeast side runs the most Republican (R+62), a spread of about 92 points.
Why 72160 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 72160, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
72160 votes Republican even though it is densely developed (about 62%, far above the Arkansas average of 13%). State and regional patterns outweigh the Democratic lean that density usually predicts here. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 72160 sits in the bottom quarter (about 14%, below 86% of zip codes).
High-school completion, developed land, and voter turnout
Places that combine low high-school-completion share and a heavily developed built environment tend to turn out at a lower rate, as 72160, AR does.
Why turnout in 72160 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 72160 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 44% of households in 72160 rent, compared to around 22% in nearby zip codes. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 24% of adults in 72160 report food insecurity, above 87% of zip codes. 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.