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ZIP code

72843

in Hector, ArkansasPopulation 1,984

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

31.99/ 100

Ranked #30,316 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 5.5%)

Ranked #490 of 562 Arkansas ZIPs (bottom 12.9%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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

23%

in the top 2.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.

Full methodology ›

Park land

58.4%

in the top 1.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.

Full methodology ›

Tooth loss

28.5%

in the top 4.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST88th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.

Full methodology ›

Obesity

48.2%

in the top 1.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.

Full methodology ›

Independent-living disability

13.9%

in the top 4.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US96th
Definition & 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

32.6%

in the top 4.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.

Full methodology ›

Mobility disability

24.5%

in the top 4.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST85th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.

Full methodology ›

Hearing disability

11.8%

in the top 5.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST84th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.

Full methodology ›

Self-care disability

6.8%

in the top 6.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST86th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.

Full methodology ›

Transportation noise

0.02%

in the bottom 6.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST13th
US6th
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.

Full methodology ›

The read

In overall standing, Hector, Arkansas (ZIP 72843) comes out in the bottom 5.5% nationally (30,316th) and the bottom 12.9% of Arkansas (490th).

continue reading

The data is direct about where this area carries real strain: modeled cognitive disability settles in the top 2.4% nationally, tooth loss registers in the top 4.1% nationally, and obesity stands in the top 1.4% nationally. Modeled independent living disability lands in the top 4.3% nationally, fair or poor health is in the top 4.7% nationally, and mobility disability resides in the top 4.2% nationally. Modeled hearing disability rests in the top 5.2% nationally, and self-care disability lies in the top 6.8% nationally. More encouragingly, park land sits in the top 1.8% nationally, and modeled transportation noise settles in the bottom 6.3% nationally.

Relative to the ZIPs around it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain terms, transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 72080, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 90%

14%

About typical

Healthcare Access

healthier than 41%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 5%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 22%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 12%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 5%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 9%

8%

Disability

healthier than 3%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 40%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 86%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 91%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 8%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 36%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 11%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 11%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 13%

8%

Disability

healthier than 7%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 39%

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 90.7 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 4.9 (bottom 10%) — 86 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #248 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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults36.0%32.6–39.7
High blood pressure among adults45.2%41.2–49.4
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.4%8.5–10.4
Current asthma among adults11.6%10.2–13.1
Coronary heart disease among adults10.6%9.6–11.8
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults13.8%12.3–15.4
Depression among adults26.3%22.7–30.3
Diagnosed diabetes among adults16.1%14.2–18.3
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened41.9%37.7–46.3
Obesity among adults48.2%41.2–55.2
Stroke among adults5.4%5.0–6.0
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years28.5%23.8–33.2
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years13.1%11.0–15.8
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure78.5%75.6–81.1
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults77.0%73.2–80.4
Cholesterol screening among adults82.8%80.6–84.9
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years60.6%54.9–65.7
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults46.7%42.7–50.5
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years67.9%58.9–75.7
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults13.6%11.1–16.4
Current cigarette smoking among adults23.4%20.4–26.6
No leisure-time physical activity among adults41.1%36.3–46.4
Short sleep duration among adults38.5%32.1–44.7
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults32.6%29.2–36.3
Frequent mental distress among adults21.2%19.0–23.7
Frequent physical distress among adults20.2%18.1–22.6
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults23.0%20.6–25.7
Any disability among adults47.0%42.6–51.8
Hearing disability among adults11.8%10.5–13.2
Independent living disability among adults13.9%12.5–15.5
Mobility disability among adults24.5%21.9–27.4
Self-care disability among adults6.8%6.1–7.5
Vision disability among adults8.6%7.8–9.5
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults27.7%24.0–31.7
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults24.0%20.8–27.5
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults17.3%14.6–20.1
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults16.1%14.0–18.5
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults11.8%10.4–13.4
Loneliness among adults33.2%28.7–38.3
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults12.3%10.8–14.1
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)AR median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate12.6%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36416.3% (4.0–30.6%) n=574
Uninsured 18–6410.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28611.3% (1.5–24.1%) n=573
No HS diploma (25+)23.5%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50512.0% (3.7–23.0%) n=577
Bachelor's or higher (25+)11.7%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50515.5% (4.4–30.5%) n=577
Unemployment rate (16+)3.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.9% (0.0–11.6%) n=573
Households without a vehicle0.4%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.1% (0.0–12.5%) n=574
Broadband subscription77.1%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32283.2% (65.0–94.7%) n=574
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)15.7%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32220.4% (4.3–33.2%) n=574
Homeownership rate89.9%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32277.6% (57.7–96.1%) n=574
Crowded housing (>1 per room)4.1%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.3% (0.0–5.7%) n=574
Foreign-born population0.0%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5530.8% (0.0–6.5%) n=578
Single-parent households61.8%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08753.0% (35.3–79.3%) n=571
Population 65+21.5%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.7% (11.6–37.9%) n=578
Median age47.6 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.6 yr (33.6–58.1) n=573
Median household income$62,805$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$53,893 ($36,003–$79,139) n=505
Median home value$120,300$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$128,200 ($73,260–$235,420) n=519
Median gross rent$850$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$800 ($568–$1,094) n=393
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)AR median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth75.2 yr ± 1.1078.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30876.2 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 1.10 years of 75.2, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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