ZIP code
72903
in Fort Smith, ArkansasPopulation 27,242
48.15/ 100
Ranked #18,755 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 42%)
Ranked #63 of 562 Arkansas ZIPs (top 11.3%)
Ranked #5 of 31 Fort Smith, AR-OK ZIPs (top 16%)
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.
Dental provider access
1.8 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of dental offices located 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 ›Physician access
3.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of physicians’ offices located 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Outpatient-care access
0.56 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient clinics located 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Homeownership rate
52.8%
in the bottom 10.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST7thUS11thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Grocery access
0.12 per 1,000 residents
in the top 16% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS84thDefinition & source ›
The number of full supermarkets 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. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”
Full methodology ›Recreation access
0.71 per 1,000 residents
in the top 17% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS83rdDefinition & source ›
The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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 ›Walkability
50 intersections/sq mi
in the top 20% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS80thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Civic-institution access
0.28 per 1,000 residents
in the top 26% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS74thDefinition & source ›
The number of civic and social organizations 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 ›The read
In its overall standing, ZIP 72903, one of several in Fort Smith, Arkansas lands in the bottom 42% nationally (18,755th) and the top 11.3% of Arkansas (63rd).
This area's measures are easy to read as a mixed set: dental providers resides in the top 1.5% nationally, and physicians settles in the top 3.1% nationally. Distance to an emergency room is at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Outpatient sits in the top 6.4% nationally. Distance to a community health center lands at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Distance to a Superfund site lies in the top 11.6% nationally. Set against that, modeled disaster risk stands in the top 3.9% nationally, and expected annual loss rests in the top 9.8% nationally. Homeownership registers in the bottom 10.7% nationally, and modeled extreme heat resides in the top 12.7% nationally.
Against the wider neighborhood, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put simply, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. On the overall standing, ZIP 72908, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 53%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 48%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 43%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 57%
11%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 14%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 30%
8%
Disability
healthier than 38%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 20%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 84%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 73%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 80%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 90%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 72%
8%
Disability
healthier than 82%
7%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 55%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 4%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 86%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 72%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 93%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 97%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 97%
8%
Disability
healthier than 86%
7%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.00%
14%
“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
72901
Arkansasshares a border
Score 34.70
Closest healthier
72908
Arkansasshares a border
Score 50.34
Similar health profile
96003
California98% similar profile
Score 46.85
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 | 28.1% | 25.1–31.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.9% | 36.2–43.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.8% | 8.0–9.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.3% | 9.0–11.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.4% | 6.7–8.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.7% | 6.9–8.7 |
| Depression among adults | 24.6% | 21.3–28.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.1% | 10.6–13.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.1% | 36.2–43.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 34.1% | 28.6–39.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.1% | 11.6–16.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.7% | 9.2–12.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.7% | 75.0–80.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.7% | 75.3–81.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.5% | 83.7–87.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.5% | 61.7–71.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.7% | 54.3–61.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.8% | 68.5–82.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.7% | 11.3–16.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.8% | 12.0–15.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.1% | 26.1–34.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.8% | 31.4–42.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.3% | 19.6–24.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.1% | 16.1–20.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.1% | 13.3–16.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.0% | 15.1–18.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.7% | 31.7–39.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.7–9.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.2–10.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.9% | 14.0–17.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.6% | 5.1–6.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 25.6% | 22.1–29.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.4% | 13.2–17.5 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.7–10.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.1% | 10.4–13.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.7% | 7.6–9.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.7% | 31.0–40.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.7–10.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AR median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 16.3% (4.0–30.6%) n=574 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 15.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.3% (1.5–24.1%) n=573 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.0% (3.7–23.0%) n=577 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 30.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 15.5% (4.4–30.5%) n=577 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.9% | 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 | 87.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 83.2% (65.0–94.7%) n=574 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 25.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 20.4% (4.3–33.2%) n=574 |
| Homeownership rate | 52.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.6% (57.7–96.1%) n=574 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–5.7%) n=574 |
| Foreign-born population | 5.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.8% (0.0–6.5%) n=578 |
| Single-parent households | 44.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.0% (35.3–79.3%) n=571 |
| Population 65+ | 18.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.6–37.9%) n=578 |
| Median age | 38.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.6 yr (33.6–58.1) n=573 |
| Median household income | $61,434 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $53,893 ($36,003–$79,139) n=505 |
| Median home value | $235,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $128,200 ($73,260–$235,420) n=519 |
| Median gross rent | $827 | $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 | 77.8 yr ± 0.67 | 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 0.67 years of 77.8, 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