PlainZIP

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
$53,893
Median income
$99,300
Median home value
19.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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 Arkansas average), while per-capita income is $27,059. 16.0% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 11.6%. The typical home here is valued at $99,300 (32% below the state average); renters pay a median of $674 monthly, and 79.1% of units are owner-occupied.

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. To put 72461 in local context, 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Clay County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 72461?

40.2

Median Age

48.3%

Male

51.7%

Female

0.1%

Foreign-Born

White 87.0%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.1%
Hispanic or Latino 0.1%

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

$27,059

Per Capita Income

16.0%

Poverty Rate

11.6%

Unemployment Rate

26.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 72461 ranks nationally

Rector, AR household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$53,893 19th percentile higher than 19% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 63.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

1,868

Total Housing Units

1,523

Occupied Units

345

Vacant Units

2.37

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 79.1%
Renter 20.9%

$99,300

Median Home Value

-32% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 72461 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 72461 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

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.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
72430 Greenway, AR 411 7.9 mi
72454 Piggott, AR 5,127 10.3 mi
72443 Marmaduke, AR 2,986 9.3 mi
63876 Senath, MO 2,374 11.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Clay County

72454 standard
Piggott, AR
Pop: 5,127
72422 standard
Corning, AR
Pop: 4,979
72456 standard
Pollard, AR
Pop: 585
72435 standard
Knobel, AR
Pop: 505
72430 standard
Greenway, AR
Pop: 411
72470 standard
Success, AR
Pop: 319

Related Areas

Clay County Rector, AR Arkansas

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.