ZIP code
72461
in Rector, ArkansasPopulation 3,643
36.61/ 100
Ranked #28,709 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 10.5%)
Ranked #384 of 562 Arkansas ZIPs (bottom 32%)
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.
Unemployment rate
11.6%
in the top 6.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
36.2%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST76thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
11.3%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST77thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Lithium in drinking water
64 µg/L
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Child-care access
0.57 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of child day-care services inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
19.9%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST64thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
10.1%
in the top 9.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST68thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
4.9%
in the top 10.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS89thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›The read
In its overall standing, Rector, Arkansas (ZIP 72461) lands in the bottom 10.5% nationally (28,709th) and the bottom 32% of Arkansas (384th).
Taken together, the data gives a genuinely mixed reading: childcare registers in the top 8.0% nationally. On the other side, unemployment resides in the top 6.9% nationally, floodplain exposure settles in the top 7.5% nationally, and modeled hearing disability is in the top 7.5% nationally. Lithium in drinking water sits in the top 7.9% nationally, and modeled cognitive disability lands in the top 9.8% nationally. Modeled coronary heart disease lies in the top 9.0% nationally, and mobility disability stands in the top 11.0% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss rests in the top 11.2% nationally, and fair or poor health registers in the top 13.2% nationally.
Put simply, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". On the overall standing, ZIP 72422, 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
healthier than 61%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 13%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 12%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 22%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 19%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 14%
8%
Disability
healthier than 11%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 9%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 64%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 60%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 41%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 47%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 29%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 20%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 28%
8%
Disability
healthier than 29%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 27%
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 ›
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 76.2; chronic-disease standing 13.1 — 63 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,516 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
63857
Missourishares a border
Score 34.09
Closest healthier
72422
Arkansasshares a border
Score 37.54
Similar health profile
74966
Oklahoma99% similar profile
Score 38.25
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 | 34.1% | 30.7–37.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 45.1% | 40.9–49.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.2–11.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.3–11.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.1% | 9.1–11.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.7% | 10.3–13.2 |
| Depression among adults | 26.7% | 23.0–30.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.0% | 13.1–17.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.2% | 37.8–46.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.5% | 32.9–48.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.5–5.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 21.4% | 17.9–25.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.6% | 9.5–13.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.5% | 76.7–82.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.9% | 75.4–82.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.8% | 82.7–86.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.3% | 58.2–68.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 49.2% | 45.6–52.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 69.9% | 61.7–77.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.5% | 11.0–16.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.2% | 16.6–22.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 37.0% | 32.1–42.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.4% | 31.2–44.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 27.9% | 24.6–31.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.2% | 17.0–21.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.4% | 16.4–20.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 19.9% | 17.7–22.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 44.1% | 39.5–49.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.3% | 10.1–12.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.6% | 10.3–13.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 21.6% | 19.1–24.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.5% | 4.8–6.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.0% | 6.3–7.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 27.5% | 23.7–31.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.3% | 15.5–21.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 9.7–13.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.8% | 10.9–14.9 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.4% | 8.1–10.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.8% | 29.8–40.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.4% | 8.1–10.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AR median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 16.3% (4.0–30.6%) n=574 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.3% (1.5–24.1%) n=573 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 16.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.0% (3.7–23.0%) n=577 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 15.5% (4.4–30.5%) n=577 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 11.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–11.6%) n=573 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.1% (0.0–12.5%) n=574 |
| Broadband subscription | 77.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 83.2% (65.0–94.7%) n=574 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 24.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 20.4% (4.3–33.2%) n=574 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.6% (57.7–96.1%) n=574 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–5.7%) n=574 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.8% (0.0–6.5%) n=578 |
| Single-parent households | 61.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.0% (35.3–79.3%) n=571 |
| Population 65+ | 17.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.6–37.9%) n=578 |
| Median age | 40.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.6 yr (33.6–58.1) n=573 |
| Median household income | $53,893 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $53,893 ($36,003–$79,139) n=505 |
| Median home value | $99,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $128,200 ($73,260–$235,420) n=519 |
| Median gross rent | $674 | $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 | 72.9 yr ± 1.16 | 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 1.16 years of 72.9, 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