Fordyce, AR · standard
ZIP Code 71742
Dallas County, Arkansas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 5,980
- 13/sq mi Low-density area
- $38,843
- Median income Below-median income area
- $98,200
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 10.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Fordyce pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 5th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 9th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 13
- people per sq mi
- 71%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 71742 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 71742 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Fordyce, Dallas County, Arkansas, home to 5,980 residents across 470.9 square miles, a density of 13 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 71742 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $38,843 (31% below the average Arkansas ZIP), while per-capita income is $24,830. Unemployment is 11.0%, an important qualifier alongside the household-income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $98,200 (33% below the average Arkansas ZIP), and median rent is $636; owner occupancy is 70.6%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.7, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 2 more in Dallas County, so 71742 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 71742
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Fordyce, AR
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 71742.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
30 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
20 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
17 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 11
Accommodation and food services
11 establishments
- Finance and insurance 9
Finance and insurance
9 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 71742, Fordyce, AR · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
5,980
Population
470.9
Area (sq mi)
13
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 71742?
42.7
Median Age
48.1%
Male
51.9%
Female
0.4%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$38,843
Median Household Income
-31% vs state ZIP avg
$24,830
Per Capita Income
14.7%
Poverty Rate
11.0%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 71742 ranks among Arkansas ZIPs
Fordyce, AR household income vs. every Arkansas ZIP code
Median household income among 505 reporting Arkansas ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$38,843 16th percentile higher than 16% of 505 Arkansas ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Arkansas ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
2,306housing units
2,306
Total Housing Units
1,758
Occupied Units
548
Vacant Units
2.30
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$98,200
Median Home Value
-33% vs state ZIP avg
$636
Median Rent
1977
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 138 business establishments in ZIP 71742, employing approximately 1,726 people with a combined annual payroll of $74,043,000.
138
Businesses
1,726
Employees
$74.0M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 30 | 21.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 20 | 14.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 17 | 12.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 11 | 8.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 9 | 6.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 8 | 5.8% |
| Construction | 8 | 5.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 8 | 5.8% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 3.6% |
| Information | 4 | 2.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 2.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 2.2% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 3 | 2.2% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 71742 vs 71766 →
ZIP 71742 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 71742
Fordyce (71742)
5,980 residents
- 71652 1,159
Kingsland (71652)
1,159 residents
- 71766 670
Thornton (71766)
670 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 71742 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 71742 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 71766
Thornton (71766)
$76,875 median income
- 71652
Kingsland (71652)
$52,857 median income
- 71742
Fordyce (71742)
$38,843 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 71742 ranks #3 of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 71742, both outside AR so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (5,980 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Dallas County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 71742 in?
ZIP code 71742 (Fordyce) is located in Dallas County, Arkansas. Dallas County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/dallas-ar.
What is the population of ZIP code 71742?
ZIP code 71742 in Fordyce, AR has a population of 5,980 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 71742?
The median household income in ZIP 71742 is $38,843, which is 49% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 71742?
The median home value in ZIP 71742 is $98,200, which is 65% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 71742?
The largest racial group in ZIP 71742 is African American at 50.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 71742?
ZIP code 71742 has 138 business establishments employing approximately 1,726 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 71742?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 71742 are: Retail trade (30), Other services (except public administration) (20), Health care and social assistance (17). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 71742?
In ZIP code 71742, 62.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 71742?
In ZIP code 71742, approximately 70.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 29.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 71742?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 71742 is 14.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 71742's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 71742 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Fordyce, AR ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.