ZIP code
71973
in Wickes, ArkansasPopulation 994
30.33/ 100
Ranked #30,702 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 4.3%)
Ranked #513 of 562 Arkansas ZIPs (bottom 8.8%)
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.
Cognitive disability
22.9%
in the top 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
0.97%
in the bottom 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST15thUS2ndDefinition & 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 ›Tooth loss
28.8%
in the top 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Uninsured (under 65)
20.4%
in the top 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
33.1%
in the top 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Vision disability
9.5%
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Loud transportation noise
2.9%
in the top 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
34.9%
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
55.5%
in the bottom 5.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST2ndUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Mammography
66.9%
in the bottom 5.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST12thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Cross-source signals
Health need and barriers to care documented here
On our reading, this ZIP code carries the overlap at its acute level: acute means at least three of the six health-need readings and at least three of the six access barriers apply to the same place.
These are two separate readings of public data that both apply to this place — never a claim that one causes the other, never a severity score, and never a statement about any person who lives here.
Health need documented here
- People without health insurance
- People living in poverty
- Food insecurity
- Housing insecurity
- Adults reporting fair or poor health
Barriers to reaching care
- Distance to the nearest emergency room
- Thin local supply of doctors
- Thin local supply of pharmacies
A reading appears below only where this ZIP code is among the most-affected 10% of US ZIP codes on it — one national bar, the same for every ZIP in the country.
See the full care-deserts analysis →The read
Wickes, Arkansas (ZIP 71973), by its overall standing, sits in the bottom 4.3% nationally (30,702nd) and the bottom 8.8% of Arkansas (513th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The clearest local signals in the data come through up front: modeled cognitive disability resides in the top 2.6% nationally, tooth loss rests in the top 3.9% nationally, and uninsured lies in the top 4.2% nationally. Modeled fair or poor health sits in the top 4.2% nationally, vision disability settles in the top 6.0% nationally, and loud transportation noise registers in the top 4.1% nationally. Poverty stands in the top 4.5% nationally, and modeled colon screening lands in the bottom 5.4% nationally. Modeled mammography is in the bottom 5.3% nationally. On the brighter side, modeled arsenic resides in the bottom 1.6% nationally.
Defined in plain terms, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 71841, just across the boundary. Looking wider, the ZIP also shows documented health need overlapping with barriers to reaching care, sitting in the most-affected 10% of US ZIP codes on several need measures and several access barriers.
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.
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 43%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 16%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 7%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 5%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 5%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 12%
8%
Disability
healthier than 5%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 18%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 9%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 38%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 10%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 22%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 3%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 9%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 20%
8%
Disability
healthier than 10%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 1%
5%
“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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
71841
Arkansasshares a border
Score 36.40
Closest healthier
71937
Arkansasshares a border
Score 31.21
Similar health profile
31722
Georgia99% similar profile
Score 33.15
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 | 29.4% | 26.1–32.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.5% | 38.1–46.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.6% | 6.8–8.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.2% | 8.3–10.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.4% | 10.0–12.8 |
| Depression among adults | 25.4% | 21.6–29.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.6% | 14.6–18.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.1% | 35.8–44.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 44.0% | 36.1–51.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 28.8% | 24.9–33.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 20.4% | 17.5–23.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.6% | 73.5–79.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.9% | 73.0–80.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 81.6% | 79.2–83.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 55.5% | 50.2–60.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 45.3% | 41.6–49.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 66.9% | 58.1–74.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.2% | 11.4–16.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 21.4% | 18.4–24.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 41.3% | 35.9–46.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 40.3% | 33.9–46.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 33.1% | 29.2–36.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.8% | 18.3–23.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 20.0% | 17.7–22.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 22.9% | 20.3–25.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 45.1% | 40.1–50.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.3% | 9.2–11.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 13.2% | 11.6–14.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 22.4% | 19.8–25.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.1–7.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 9.5% | 8.6–10.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 28.0% | 24.3–32.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 28.8% | 25.1–32.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 19.2% | 16.4–22.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 20.7% | 18.1–23.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 14.3% | 12.7–16.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.3% | 30.6–40.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 14.9% | 13.1–17.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AR median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 34.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 16.3% (4.0–30.6%) n=574 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 23.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.3% (1.5–24.1%) n=573 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 33.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.0% (3.7–23.0%) n=577 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 15.5% (4.4–30.5%) n=577 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–11.6%) n=573 |
| Households without a vehicle | 12.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.1% (0.0–12.5%) n=574 |
| Broadband subscription | 75.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 83.2% (65.0–94.7%) n=574 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 20.4% (4.3–33.2%) n=574 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.6% (57.7–96.1%) n=574 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–5.7%) n=574 |
| Foreign-born population | 16.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.8% (0.0–6.5%) n=578 |
| Single-parent households | 65.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.0% (35.3–79.3%) n=571 |
| Population 65+ | 18.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.6–37.9%) n=578 |
| Median age | 41.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.6 yr (33.6–58.1) n=573 |
| Median household income | $33,313 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $53,893 ($36,003–$79,139) n=505 |
| Median home value | $93,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $128,200 ($73,260–$235,420) n=519 |
| Median gross rent | $629 | $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 | 80.1 yr ± 2.63 | 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 2.63 years of 80.1, 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