72209 is a Democratic stronghold. About 84% of voters here vote Democratic and 16% Republican.
About 41% of adults in 72209 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 72209, ~34% vote Democratic, ~7% Republican, and ~59% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 72209 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 72209 leans more Democratic than 24 of 26 neighbors.
72209 runs about 98 points more Democratic than Arkansas as a whole. Arkansas leans Republican overall, while 72209 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 72209. The south side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+75) and the southeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+57), a spread of about 18 points.
Why 72209 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 72209, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting. Non-Hispanic white share in 72209 is about 8%, about 64 points below the U.S. average of 72%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 49% of adults in 72209 have never been married, above 94% of zip codes. 72209 runs against the grain of Arkansas, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 72209, AR sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 72209 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 72209 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 42%, about 9 points below the Arkansas average of 51%. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 60% of households in 72209 rent, compared to around 43% in nearby zip codes. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 40% of adults in 72209 report food insecurity, above 98% 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.