Brinkley, AR · standard
ZIP Code 72021
Monroe County, Arkansas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 4,348
- 9/sq mi Low-density area
- $41,310
- Median income Below-median income area
- $94,200
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 12.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Brinkley pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.
- 6th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 8th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 9
- people per sq mi
- 59%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 72021 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 72021 covers 467.5 square miles in Brinkley, Monroe County, Arkansas (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,348 residents on file, a density of 9 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 72021 reports a modest median household income of $41,310 (27% below the average Arkansas ZIP), while per-capita income is $25,636. Economic pressure is pronounced: 21.6% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 13.0%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $94,200 (35% below the average Arkansas ZIP), and median rent is $613; owner occupancy is 58.8%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.1, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 more in Monroe County, so 72021 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 72021
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Brinkley, AR
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 72021.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
24 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
17 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
16 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
13 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
10 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 72021, Brinkley, 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
4,348
Population
467.5
Area (sq mi)
9
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 72021?
47.1
Median Age
50.6%
Male
49.4%
Female
1.3%
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?
$41,310
Median Household Income
-27% vs state ZIP avg
$25,636
Per Capita Income
21.6%
Poverty Rate
13.0%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 72021 ranks among Arkansas ZIPs
Brinkley, 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)
$41,310 20th percentile higher than 20% 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
1,951housing units
1,951
Total Housing Units
1,508
Occupied Units
443
Vacant Units
2.27
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$94,200
Median Home Value
-35% vs state ZIP avg
$613
Median Rent
1975
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 116 business establishments in ZIP 72021, employing approximately 980 people with a combined annual payroll of $37,433,000.
116
Businesses
980
Employees
$37.4M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 24 | 20.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 17 | 14.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 16 | 13.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 13 | 11.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 10 | 8.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 9 | 7.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 4.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 4 | 3.5% |
| Construction | 4 | 3.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 3.5% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 2.6% |
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 72021 vs 72029 →
ZIP 72021 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 72021
Brinkley (72021)
4,348 residents
- 72029
Clarendon (72029)
1,912 residents
- 72392 481
Wheatley (72392)
481 residents
- 72108 73
Monroe (72108)
73 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 72021 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 72021 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 72392
Wheatley (72392)
$66,786 median income
- 72021
Brinkley (72021)
$41,310 median income
- 72029
Clarendon (72029)
$35,515 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 72021 ranks #2 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 72021, 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 (4,348 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Monroe County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 72021 in?
ZIP code 72021 (Brinkley) is located in Monroe County, Arkansas. Monroe County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/monroe-ar.
What is the population of ZIP code 72021?
ZIP code 72021 in Brinkley, AR has a population of 4,348 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 72021?
The median household income in ZIP 72021 is $41,310, which is 46% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 72021?
The median home value in ZIP 72021 is $94,200, which is 66% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 72021?
The largest racial group in ZIP 72021 is White at 48.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 72021?
ZIP code 72021 has 116 business establishments employing approximately 980 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 72021?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 72021 are: Retail trade (24), Accommodation and food services (17), Health care and social assistance (16). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 72021?
In ZIP code 72021, 55.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.3% 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 72021?
In ZIP code 72021, approximately 58.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 41.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 72021?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 72021 is 21.6% 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 72021's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 72021 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Brinkley, 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.