ZIP code
72521
in Cave City, ArkansasPopulation 4,910
38.06/ 100
Ranked #27,971 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 12.8%)
Ranked #336 of 562 Arkansas ZIPs (bottom 40%)
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.
Mammography
65.8%
in the bottom 3.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST5thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
26%
in the top 6.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST80thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
75.4 mi
in the top 5.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
20.7%
in the top 6.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST78thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.2%
in the bottom 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST48thUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Colon-cancer screening
57.3%
in the bottom 7.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST6thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
73.6%
in the bottom 8.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST22ndUS9thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 10.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS90thDefinition & 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 overall standing, Cave City, Arkansas (ZIP 72521) comes out in the bottom 12.8% nationally (27,971st) and the bottom 40% of Arkansas (336th).
Both sides of the picture show up plainly in this area's numbers: distance to a Superfund site sits in the top 5.7% nationally, and modeled arsenic settles in the bottom 6.8% nationally. Distance to a nursing home registers at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. By contrast, modeled mammography stands in the bottom 3.7% nationally, and tooth loss lands in the top 6.2% nationally. Modeled cognitive disability is in the top 6.9% nationally, and colon screening resides in the bottom 7.9% nationally. Home broadband subscription rests in the bottom 8.6% nationally, and modeled disaster risk lies in the top 10.0% nationally. Modeled fair or poor health sits in the top 13.4% nationally.
In plain terms, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. 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. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 72466, 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 92%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 60%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 27%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 11%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 12%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 10%
8%
Disability
healthier than 13%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 33%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 90%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 80%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 62%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 45%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 45%
16%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 9%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 24%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 15%
8%
Disability
healthier than 34%
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
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 91.8 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 18.7 — 73 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #875 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
72466
Arkansasshares a border
Score 40.26
Closest healthier
72469
Arkansasshares a border
Score 38.44
Similar health profile
72773
Arkansas99% similar profile
Score 39.87
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 | 32.2% | 29.4–34.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.2% | 38.7–45.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.1% | 8.3–9.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.9% | 9.8–12.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.0% | 8.2–9.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.1% | 10.0–12.2 |
| Depression among adults | 27.1% | 23.9–30.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.9% | 12.3–15.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.4% | 36.8–43.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.7% | 33.4–46.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.6% | 4.2–4.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 26.0% | 22.5–29.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.7% | 10.1–13.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.9% | 75.7–80.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.5% | 75.6–81.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.2% | 81.4–84.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 57.3% | 52.9–61.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 47.1% | 44.0–50.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 65.8% | 58.5–72.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.8% | 12.6–17.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.7% | 17.3–22.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 36.4% | 32.1–40.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.5% | 33.2–43.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 27.8% | 25.0–30.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.2% | 18.3–22.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.1% | 16.3–19.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 20.7% | 18.7–22.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 42.9% | 38.9–46.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.2% | 9.3–11.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.7% | 10.6–13.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.4% | 18.3–22.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.9–5.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.9% | 6.4–7.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 27.4% | 24.4–30.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.5% | 17.2–22.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 12.7% | 11.1–14.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.8% | 12.3–15.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.0% | 31.0–39.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.2% | 9.1–11.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AR median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 16.3% (4.0–30.6%) n=574 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 13.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.3% (1.5–24.1%) n=573 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.0% (3.7–23.0%) n=577 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 14.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 15.5% (4.4–30.5%) n=577 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–11.6%) n=573 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.1% (0.0–12.5%) n=574 |
| Broadband subscription | 73.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 83.2% (65.0–94.7%) n=574 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 20.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 20.4% (4.3–33.2%) n=574 |
| Homeownership rate | 68.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.6% (57.7–96.1%) n=574 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–5.7%) n=574 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.8% (0.0–6.5%) n=578 |
| Single-parent households | 53.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.0% (35.3–79.3%) n=571 |
| Population 65+ | 18.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.6–37.9%) n=578 |
| Median age | 40.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.6 yr (33.6–58.1) n=573 |
| Median household income | $59,591 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $53,893 ($36,003–$79,139) n=505 |
| Median home value | $146,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $128,200 ($73,260–$235,420) n=519 |
| Median gross rent | $788 | $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 | 74.5 yr ± 1.05 | 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 1.05 years of 74.5, 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