Rector, AR · standard
ZIP Code 72461
Clay County, Arkansas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,789
- 8/sq mi Low-density area
- $53,893
- Median income Below-median income area
- $99,300
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 19.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Rector pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 19th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 10th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 8
- people per sq mi
- 79%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 72461 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 72461 covers 467.8 square miles in Rector, Clay County, Arkansas (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,789 residents on file, a density of 8 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 72461 reports a modest median household income of $53,893 (5% below the average Arkansas ZIP), while per-capita income is $27,059. Unemployment is 11.6%, an important qualifier alongside the household-income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $99,300 (32% below the average Arkansas ZIP), and median rent is $674; owner occupancy is 79.1%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.2, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Clay County, so 72461 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 72461
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Rector, AR
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 72461.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
10 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
7 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
7 establishments
- Construction
Construction
4 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
4 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 72461, Rector, 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
3,789
Population
467.8
Area (sq mi)
8
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 72461?
40.2
Median Age
48.3%
Male
51.7%
Female
0.1%
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?
$53,893
Median Household Income
-5% vs state ZIP avg
$27,059
Per Capita Income
16.0%
Poverty Rate
11.6%
Unemployment Rate
26.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 72461 ranks among Arkansas ZIPs
Rector, 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)
$53,893 Top 50% higher than 50% 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
1,868housing units
1,868
Total Housing Units
1,523
Occupied Units
345
Vacant Units
2.37
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$99,300
Median Home Value
-32% vs state ZIP avg
$674
Median Rent
1972
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 47 business establishments in ZIP 72461, employing approximately 321 people with a combined annual payroll of $13,054,000.
47
Businesses
321
Employees
$13.1M
Annual Payroll
8
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 10 | 21.3% |
| Retail trade | 7 | 14.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 7 | 14.9% |
| Construction | 4 | 8.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 4 | 8.5% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 6.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 6.4% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 6.4% |
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 72461 vs 72430 →
ZIP 72461 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 72454
Piggott (72454)
5,127 residents
- 72461
Rector (72461)
3,789 residents
- 72443
Marmaduke (72443)
2,986 residents
- 63876
Senath (63876)
2,374 residents
- 72430 411
Greenway (72430)
411 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 72461 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 72461 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 72430
Greenway (72430)
$57,604 median income
- 72461
Rector (72461)
$53,893 median income
- 72443
Marmaduke (72443)
$51,230 median income
- 72454
Piggott (72454)
$46,509 median income
- 63876
Senath (63876)
$34,837 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 72461 ranks #2 of 5 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 72461, 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 (3,789 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Clay County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 72461 in?
ZIP code 72461 (Rector) is located in Clay County, Arkansas. Clay County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/clay-ar.
What is the population of ZIP code 72461?
ZIP code 72461 in Rector, AR has a population of 3,789 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 72461?
The median household income in ZIP 72461 is $53,893, which is 29% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 72461?
The median home value in ZIP 72461 is $99,300, which is 64% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 72461?
The largest racial group in ZIP 72461 is White at 87.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 72461?
ZIP code 72461 has 47 business establishments employing approximately 321 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 72461?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 72461 are: Other services (except public administration) (10), Retail trade (7), Health care and social assistance (7). There are 8 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 72461?
In ZIP code 72461, 63.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 72461?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 72461 is 26.4 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 72461?
In ZIP code 72461, approximately 79.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 72461?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 72461 is 16.0% 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 72461's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 72461 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Rector, AR ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.