72944 is a Republican stronghold. About 16% of voters here vote Democratic and 84% Republican.
About 58% of adults in 72944 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 72944, ~9% vote Democratic, ~49% Republican, and ~42% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 72944 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 72944 leans more Republican than 4 of 6 neighbors.
72944 runs about 37 points more Republican than Arkansas as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 72944. The southeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+74) and the west side is the least Republican-leaning (R+61), a spread of about 14 points.
Why 72944 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 72944, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Car-dependent areas vote Republican. About 86% of residents in 72944 drive to work alone, about 12 points above the U.S. average of 74%. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 72944 sits in the bottom quarter (about 14%, below 86% of zip codes).
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; 72944, AR sits in the bottom tenth 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 72944 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 72944 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 50%, about 10 points below the U.S. average of 60%. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 87% of adults in 72944 have completed high school, below 75% 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.