ZIP code
72934
in Chester, ArkansasPopulation 1,147
41.17/ 100
Ranked #25,899 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 19%)
Ranked #214 of 562 Arkansas ZIPs (top 38%)
Ranked #14 of 31 Fort Smith, AR-OK ZIPs (top 45%)
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.
Tree cover
85.9%
in the top 2.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Park land
39.7%
in the top 3.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.1%
in the bottom 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST31stUS4thDefinition & 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 ›Housing-cost burden
6.1%
in the bottom 5.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
71.4%
in the bottom 7.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST17thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
95.1%
in the top 8.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST88thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
34.9 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST80thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
3.8%
in the bottom 13.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS13thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›The read
On the composite measure, Chester, Arkansas (ZIP 72934) stands in the bottom 19% nationally (25,899th) and the top 38% of Arkansas (214th).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: modeled tree cover sits in the top 2.7% nationally, and park land resides in the top 3.4% nationally. Modeled arsenic stands in the bottom 3.8% nationally, and housing-cost burden sits in the bottom 5.7% nationally. Homeownership resides in the top 8.5% nationally, distance to a Superfund site stands in the top 10.8% nationally, and poverty sits in the bottom 13.2% nationally. By contrast, home broadband subscription resides in the bottom 7.0% nationally, fatal road crashes stands in the top 9.7% nationally, and modeled cognitive disability sits in the top 10.7% nationally.
Set beside the wider area around it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. ZIP 72774, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 88%
14%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 42%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 26%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 36%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 16%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 17%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 12%
8%
Disability
healthier than 18%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 36%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 82%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 94%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 60%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 60%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 42%
11%
Disability
healthier than 52%
7%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 22%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 22%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 35%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 93%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 97%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 59%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 48%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Disability
healthier than 55%
7%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 31%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 34%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 21%
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 88.2; chronic-disease standing 25.6 — 63 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,554 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
72774
Arkansasshares a border
Score 47.04
Closest healthier
72946
Arkansasshares a border
Score 41.74
Similar health profile
72521
Arkansas99% similar profile
Score 38.06
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 | 31.0% | 27.6–34.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.2% | 38.9–47.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.0% | 8.1–9.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.2–11.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.8% | 7.9–9.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.4% | 9.1–11.9 |
| Depression among adults | 26.8% | 23.0–31.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.3% | 11.5–15.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.4% | 36.9–45.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.4% | 32.2–47.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.3% | 3.9–4.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 19.9% | 16.6–23.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.7% | 8.6–13.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.9% | 72.8–78.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.9% | 74.1–81.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.0% | 81.8–86.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 60.3% | 55.0–65.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 48.3% | 44.6–52.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 70.1% | 62.3–77.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.3% | 12.5–18.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.8% | 16.0–22.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.1% | 26.3–36.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.7% | 33.7–46.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 26.0% | 22.7–29.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.6% | 17.2–21.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.5% | 15.4–19.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 19.7% | 17.3–22.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 41.0% | 36.1–45.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.9% | 8.7–11.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.7% | 9.5–12.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.2% | 16.7–21.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.5–5.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.8% | 22.9–31.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.0% | 15.1–21.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.5% | 9.6–13.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.1% | 11.1–15.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.4% | 8.2–10.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.5% | 28.6–38.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.7% | 8.4–11.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AR median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 3.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 16.3% (4.0–30.6%) n=574 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.3% (1.5–24.1%) n=573 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 40.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.0% (3.7–23.0%) n=577 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 14.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 15.5% (4.4–30.5%) n=577 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–11.6%) n=573 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.1% (0.0–12.5%) n=574 |
| Broadband subscription | 71.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 83.2% (65.0–94.7%) n=574 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 6.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 20.4% (4.3–33.2%) n=574 |
| Homeownership rate | 95.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.6% (57.7–96.1%) n=574 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 5.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–5.7%) n=574 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.8% (0.0–6.5%) n=578 |
| Single-parent households | 72.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.0% (35.3–79.3%) n=571 |
| Population 65+ | 26.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.6–37.9%) n=578 |
| Median age | 62.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.6 yr (33.6–58.1) n=573 |
| Median household income | $59,282 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $53,893 ($36,003–$79,139) n=505 |
| Median home value | $177,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $128,200 ($73,260–$235,420) n=519 |
| Median gross rent | $700 | $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 | 76.0 yr ± 1.30 | 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 1.30 years of 76.0, 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