Shirley, AR · standard
ZIP Code 72153
Van Buren County, Arkansas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,572
- 12/sq mi Low-density area
- $50,253
- Median income Below-median income area
- $131,000
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 9.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Shirley pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 15th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 20th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 12
- people per sq mi
- 88%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 72153 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 72153 covers 219.8 square miles in Shirley, Van Buren County, Arkansas (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,572 residents on file, a density of 12 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 72153 reports a modest median household income of $50,253 (11% below the average Arkansas ZIP), while per-capita income is $22,037. The poverty rate is 17.3%, with unemployment at 6.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $131,000 (10% below the average Arkansas ZIP); 87.9% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 9.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.4, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 5 more in Van Buren County, so 72153 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 72153
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Shirley, AR
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 72153.
- Construction
Construction
6 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
4 establishments
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
3 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
3 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 72153, Shirley, 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
2,572
Population
219.8
Area (sq mi)
12
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 72153?
37.4
Median Age
50.9%
Male
49.1%
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?
$50,253
Median Household Income
-11% vs state ZIP avg
$22,037
Per Capita Income
17.3%
Poverty Rate
6.1%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 72153 ranks among Arkansas ZIPs
Shirley, 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)
$50,253 40th percentile higher than 40% 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
1,986housing units
1,986
Total Housing Units
1,591
Occupied Units
395
Vacant Units
2.63
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$131,000
Median Home Value
-10% vs state ZIP avg
1986
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 24 business establishments in ZIP 72153, employing approximately 121 people with a combined annual payroll of $4,116,000.
24
Businesses
121
Employees
$4.1M
Annual Payroll
4
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 6 | 25.0% |
| Retail trade | 4 | 16.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 12.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 3 | 12.5% |
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 72153 vs 72088 →
ZIP 72153 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 72153
Shirley (72153)
2,572 residents
- 72088
Fairfield Bay (72088)
2,391 residents
- 72051 622
Fox (72051)
622 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 72153 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 72153, 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 (2,572 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Van Buren County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 72153 in?
ZIP code 72153 (Shirley) is located in Van Buren County, Arkansas. Van Buren County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/van-buren-ar.
What is the population of ZIP code 72153?
ZIP code 72153 in Shirley, AR has a population of 2,572 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 72153?
The median household income in ZIP 72153 is $50,253, which is 34% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 72153?
The median home value in ZIP 72153 is $131,000, which is 53% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 72153?
The largest racial group in ZIP 72153 is White at 97.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 72153?
ZIP code 72153 has 24 business establishments employing approximately 121 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 72153?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 72153 are: Construction (6), Retail trade (4), Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (3). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 72153?
In ZIP code 72153, 47.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 9.9% 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 72153?
In ZIP code 72153, approximately 87.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 72153?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 72153 is 17.3% 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 72153's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 72153 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Shirley, 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.