72201 is a Democratic stronghold. About 76% of voters here vote Democratic and 24% Republican.
About 56% of adults in 72201 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 72201, ~43% vote Democratic, ~14% Republican, and ~43% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 72201 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 72201 leans more Democratic than 20 of 25 neighbors.
72201 runs about 83 points more Democratic than Arkansas as a whole. Arkansas leans Republican overall, while 72201 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 72201. The southwest side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+74) and the west side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+43), a spread of about 31 points.
Why 72201 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 72201, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 94% of residents in 72201 live in densely developed areas, about 57 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 72201 sits in the top quarter (about 72%, above 98% of zip codes). 72201 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; 72201, AR sits in the top tenth 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 72201 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 71% of households in 72201 rent, about 46 points above the U.S. average of 25%. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and 72201 sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. 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.