ZIP code
72455
in Pocahontas, ArkansasPopulation 13,442
35.43/ 100
Ranked #29,220 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 8.9%)
Ranked #417 of 562 Arkansas ZIPs (bottom 26%)
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.
Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 2.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
27.2%
in the top 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
21.2%
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.2%
in the bottom 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST38thUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Independent-living disability
12.7%
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST81stUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
29.2%
in the top 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST68thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
11.1%
in the top 8.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST74thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Mammography
68.5%
in the bottom 8.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST26thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 9.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST87thUS91stDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›The read
In its overall standing, Pocahontas, Arkansas (ZIP 72455) lands in the bottom 8.9% nationally (29,220th) and the bottom 26% of Arkansas (417th).
This area's measures are easy to read as a mixed set: modeled arsenic resides in the bottom 5.0% nationally. Distance to an emergency room settles at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Set against that, modeled expected annual loss is in the top 2.7% nationally, and tooth loss sits in the top 5.0% nationally. Modeled cognitive disability lands in the top 5.5% nationally, and independent living disability lies in the top 7.9% nationally. Modeled fair or poor health stands in the top 9.9% nationally, and hearing disability rests in the top 8.7% nationally. Modeled mammography registers in the bottom 8.8% nationally, and disaster risk resides in the top 9.3% nationally.
Against the wider neighborhood, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put simply, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. On the overall standing, ZIP 65778, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.
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 76%
14%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 13%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 20%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 16%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 11%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 9%
8%
Disability
healthier than 8%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 15%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 60%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 28%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 33%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 22%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 23%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 14%
8%
Disability
healthier than 20%
7%
“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
2 of our published findings list 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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 75.0 ± 1.5 years. A median household income of $49,764 predicts 77.3 years — 2.4 years below.
Ranked #3,232 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 76.3; chronic-disease standing 12.6 — 64 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,467 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
63942
Missourishares a border
Score 33.04
Closest healthier
65778
Missourishares a border
Score 36.71
Similar health profile
72013
Arkansas99% similar profile
Score 39.69
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 | 33.3% | 29.9–37.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.2% | 40.1–48.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.5% | 8.6–10.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.7% | 8.7–10.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.7% | 10.3–13.1 |
| Depression among adults | 27.0% | 23.3–31.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.2% | 13.2–17.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.6% | 36.3–45.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.9% | 34.2–51.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.9% | 4.5–5.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 27.2% | 23.4–31.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 12.2% | 10.3–14.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.3% | 75.5–80.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.7% | 75.1–82.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.0% | 80.8–84.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.7% | 58.1–67.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 47.7% | 44.0–51.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 68.5% | 60.5–75.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.9% | 11.3–16.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 20.3% | 17.6–23.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 38.9% | 33.7–44.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.9% | 32.2–43.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 29.2% | 25.9–32.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.6% | 18.4–23.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.8% | 16.7–21.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 21.2% | 18.9–23.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 44.6% | 39.8–49.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.1% | 9.9–12.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 12.7% | 11.3–14.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 21.5% | 19.0–24.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.8% | 5.2–6.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.9–8.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.6% | 22.7–30.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 21.3% | 18.4–24.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 15.1% | 12.9–17.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.1% | 13.0–17.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 11.0% | 9.7–12.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.3% | 29.1–39.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 11.5% | 10.0–13.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AR median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 21.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 16.3% (4.0–30.6%) n=574 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.3% (1.5–24.1%) n=573 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 15.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.0% (3.7–23.0%) n=577 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 12.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 15.5% (4.4–30.5%) n=577 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–11.6%) n=573 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.1% (0.0–12.5%) n=574 |
| Broadband subscription | 79.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 83.2% (65.0–94.7%) n=574 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 24.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 20.4% (4.3–33.2%) n=574 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.6% (57.7–96.1%) n=574 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 4.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–5.7%) n=574 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.8% (0.0–6.5%) n=578 |
| Single-parent households | 45.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.0% (35.3–79.3%) n=571 |
| Population 65+ | 19.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.6–37.9%) n=578 |
| Median age | 37.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.6 yr (33.6–58.1) n=573 |
| Median household income | $49,764 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $53,893 ($36,003–$79,139) n=505 |
| Median home value | $142,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $128,200 ($73,260–$235,420) n=519 |
| Median gross rent | $692 | $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 | 75.0 yr ± 0.76 | 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 0.76 years of 75.0, 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