ZIP code
71740
in Emerson, ArkansasPopulation 2,100
46.20/ 100
Ranked #21,117 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 34%)
Ranked #79 of 562 Arkansas ZIPs (top 14.1%)
Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.
What defines this ZIP
Metrics where this ZIP sits in the tails of the national distribution — the ones that most set it apart. Select any tile for its definition and methodology.
Arsenic in groundwater
0.95%
in the bottom 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST14thUS1stDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
6.1%
in the bottom 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Crowded housing
9.1%
in the top 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
130.4 days/year
in the top 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
46.1%
in the top 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST56thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
41.5 days/year
in the top 11.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS89thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Radon
0.7 pCi/L
in the bottom 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
4.8 per 100,000 residents per year
in the bottom 19% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS19thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›The read
Emerson, Arkansas (ZIP 71740), in overall standing, comes out in the bottom 34% nationally (21,117th) and the top 14.1% of Arkansas (79th).
A few readings account for most of this area's strain: crowded housing settles in the top 5.4% nationally, modeled humid heat lands in the top 9.9% nationally, and modeled high blood pressure rests in the top 9.6% nationally. Modeled extreme heat settles in the top 11.5% nationally. On the better side, modeled arsenic lands in the bottom 1.4% nationally, and pfas rests in the bottom 2.2% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise settles at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Modeled tree cover lands in the top 11.3% nationally, and transportation noise rests in the bottom 11.7% nationally. Modeled radon settles in the bottom 5.6% nationally.
Defined simply, for reference, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 71072, just across the boundary.
What’s driving this score
Nine domains make up the ZipVitals Score — here is how this ZIP does on each, and how much each one counts.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 82%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 58%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 50%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 25%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 32%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 39%
11%
Disability
healthier than 28%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 14%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 68%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 90%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 77%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 89%
8%
Disability
healthier than 74%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 59%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 52%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 41%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 43%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
“Share” is how much of this ZIP’s score the domain accounts for. Percentages are rounded; higher is healthier in every domain. How the score works, and who it compares you with ›
Findings that name this ZIP
One of our published findings lists this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 82.4; chronic-disease standing 25.1 — 57 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,931 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
71072
Louisianashares a border
Score 48.33
Closest healthier
71006
Louisianaabout 14 mi away
Score 50.47
Similar health profile
35755
Alabama98% similar profile
Score 41.78
How these were chosen: only ZIPs with a published Score appear — a nearby ZIP with too little data to score won’t. Nearby means closest by distance between ZIP boundaries, which can cross state lines. A similar health profile is a close match across the nine Score domains, not similar demographics. Distances are measured between ZIP boundaries — ZIPs that touch share a border. How distance is measured
Evidence
Every measure this page draws on, by source. Collapsed by default — the full data stays in the page for search engines either way.
Health OutcomesCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Arthritis among adults | 33.1% | 29.5–36.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 46.1% | 41.6–50.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.5% | 8.6–10.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.2–11.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.5% | 7.6–9.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.1% | 7.9–10.5 |
| Depression among adults | 22.7% | 19.2–26.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.9% | 12.9–17.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.1% | 35.5–44.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.6% | 29.2–44.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.6% | 4.1–5.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.7% | 15.2–22.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.2% | 7.5–11.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.2% | 78.3–83.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.7% | 78.5–84.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.9% | 86.2–89.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.7% | 58.1–69.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 56.6% | 52.5–60.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.4% | 67.3–82.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.1% | 10.7–15.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.9% | 13.3–18.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.6% | 27.6–37.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.5% | 31.8–45.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.4% | 21.0–27.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.1% | 15.0–19.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.9% | 13.9–18.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.8% | 14.7–19.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.3% | 33.6–43.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.9% | 7.8–10.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.7% | 8.4–11.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.8% | 16.3–21.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.2–5.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.4–6.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.5% | 22.4–30.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.2% | 14.2–20.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.5% | 8.5–12.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.2% | 11.0–15.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.6% | 7.3–9.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.4% | 28.1–38.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.6% | 8.1–11.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AR median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 20.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 16.3% (4.0–30.6%) n=574 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.3% (1.5–24.1%) n=573 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.0% (3.7–23.0%) n=577 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 21.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 15.5% (4.4–30.5%) n=577 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–11.6%) n=573 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.1% (0.0–12.5%) n=574 |
| Broadband subscription | 78.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 83.2% (65.0–94.7%) n=574 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 20.4% (4.3–33.2%) n=574 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.6% (57.7–96.1%) n=574 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 9.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–5.7%) n=574 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.8% (0.0–6.5%) n=578 |
| Single-parent households | 27.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.0% (35.3–79.3%) n=571 |
| Population 65+ | 11.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.6–37.9%) n=578 |
| Median age | 33.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.6 yr (33.6–58.1) n=573 |
| Median household income | $65,455 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $53,893 ($36,003–$79,139) n=505 |
| Median home value | $168,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $128,200 ($73,260–$235,420) n=519 |
| Median gross rent | $719 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $800 ($568–$1,094) n=393 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AR median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 76.7 yr ± 0.81 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 76.2 yr (73.4–79.7) n=580 |
About the ± — it’s this estimate’s give-or-take (statisticians call it the standard error). The true life expectancy for this ZIP most likely falls within 0.81 years of 76.7, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.
More ZIPs to explore ▾More ZIPs to explore ▴
How these lists were built: they draw only from ZIPs that have a published Score, so ZIPs with too little data to score are not listed. Distance-based lists use distance between ZIP boundaries with no state filter, so an out-of-state ZIP can appear. Statistically similar means a close match across the nine Score domains, not a demographic match: the measure is the cosine similarity between two ZIPs’ domain scores, taken over the domains both ZIPs have data for and only where that overlap covers at least six of the nine — and where no ZIP clears that minimum-overlap floor, that list is left out rather than filled with a weak match. How distance is measured