ZIP code
72947
in Mulberry, ArkansasPopulation 4,493
40.50/ 100
Ranked #26,404 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 18%)
Ranked #238 of 562 Arkansas ZIPs (top 42%)
Ranked #16 of 31 Fort Smith, AR-OK ZIPs (bottom 48%)
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.
Lead in tap water
55 ppb
in the top 0.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
US99thDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
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 ›Park land
13.4%
in the top 9.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST89thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Civic-institution access
0.25 per 1,000 residents
in the top 28% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS72ndDefinition & 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, Mulberry, Arkansas (ZIP 72947) lands in the bottom 18% nationally (26,404th) and the top 42% of Arkansas (238th).
Reading across the data, the real pressures come first: lead in tap water stands in the top 0.2% nationally, modeled high blood pressure rests in the top 11.1% nationally, and modeled high cholesterol registers in the top 10.2% nationally. Modeled cognitive disability resides in the top 14.1% nationally, modeled hearing disability settles in the top 13.5% nationally, and fatal road crashes is in the top 14.4% nationally. More encouragingly, park land sits in the top 9.7% 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 12.2% nationally, and modeled arsenic stands in the bottom 12.7% nationally.
Against the wider neighborhood, lead in tap water runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put simply, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. 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. On the overall standing, ZIP 72921, 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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 81%
14%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 41%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 17%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 26%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 23%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 17%
8%
Disability
healthier than 17%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 17%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 65%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 67%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 52%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 56%
11%
Disability
healthier than 45%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 49%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 40%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 38%
8%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 79%
14%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 48%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 59%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 55%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 48%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 55%
8%
Disability
healthier than 48%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 48%
5%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 28%
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 81.4; chronic-disease standing 16.6 — 65 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,404 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
72921
Arkansasshares a border
Score 42.14
Closest healthier
72935
Arkansasshares a border
Score 41.12
Similar health profile
73433
Oklahoma99% similar profile
Score 39.72
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 | 33.7% | 30.8–36.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 45.5% | 42.1–49.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.0% | 9.1–10.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.6% | 9.5–11.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.5% | 8.5–10.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.1 |
| Depression among adults | 26.4% | 23.3–29.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.3% | 12.7–16.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.1% | 39.5–46.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.3% | 33.6–45.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.6% | 4.2–5.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 20.3% | 17.6–23.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.1% | 8.6–12.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.5% | 76.0–80.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.4% | 76.5–82.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.0% | 84.4–87.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 61.9% | 57.8–65.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 51.7% | 48.5–54.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 70.1% | 63.5–76.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.2% | 12.0–16.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.6% | 16.2–21.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.2% | 28.1–36.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.9% | 34.1–44.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 26.5% | 23.5–29.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.9% | 17.0–20.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.0% | 16.1–19.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 19.0% | 16.9–21.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 41.4% | 37.3–45.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.5% | 9.4–11.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.7% | 9.5–11.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.3% | 18.0–22.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.2% | 4.6–5.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.4% | 5.8–7.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.4% | 23.2–29.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.0% | 14.5–19.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.7% | 8.9–12.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.5% | 10.7–14.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 7.8–10.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.9% | 28.9–37.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 8.0–10.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AR median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 18.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 16.3% (4.0–30.6%) n=574 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 26.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.3% (1.5–24.1%) n=573 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 15.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.0% (3.7–23.0%) n=577 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 13.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 15.5% (4.4–30.5%) n=577 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–11.6%) n=573 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.1% (0.0–12.5%) n=574 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 83.2% (65.0–94.7%) n=574 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 21.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 20.4% (4.3–33.2%) n=574 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.6% (57.7–96.1%) n=574 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–5.7%) n=574 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.8% (0.0–6.5%) n=578 |
| Single-parent households | 57.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.0% (35.3–79.3%) n=571 |
| Population 65+ | 16.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.6–37.9%) n=578 |
| Median age | 40.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.6 yr (33.6–58.1) n=573 |
| Median household income | $58,640 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $53,893 ($36,003–$79,139) n=505 |
| Median home value | $161,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $128,200 ($73,260–$235,420) n=519 |
| Median gross rent | $702 | $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 | 77.2 yr ± 0.90 | 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 0.90 years of 77.2, 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