Hardy, AR · standard
ZIP Code 72542
Sharp County, Arkansas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,826
- 9/sq mi
- $41,295
- Median income
- $98,500
- Median home value
- 12.7%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Hardy pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 6th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 9th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 9
- people per sq mi
- 83%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 72542 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 72542 covers 411.4 square miles in Hardy, Sharp County, Arkansas (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,826 residents on file, a density of 9 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 72542 reports a modest median household income of $41,295 (27% below the Arkansas average), while per-capita income is $25,017. The poverty rate stands at 15.2% and the unemployment rate at 5.7%. On housing, the median home value is $98,500 (32% below the state average) with median rent at $646 per month, and 83.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.9, and the average commute is -. A geography-based comparison follows: 3 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 72542, plus 6 more within Sharp County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.
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 72542
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hardy, AR
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 72542.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
25 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
24 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
15 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
15 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
11 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 72542, Hardy, 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
3,826
Population
411.4
Area (sq mi)
9
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 72542?
43.9
Median Age
49.7%
Male
50.3%
Female
0.6%
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?
$41,295
Median Household Income
-27% vs state
$25,017
Per Capita Income
15.2%
Poverty Rate
5.7%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 72542 ranks nationally
Hardy, AR household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$41,295 6th percentile higher than 6% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
2,179
Total Housing Units
1,537
Occupied Units
642
Vacant Units
2.65
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$98,500
Median Home Value
-32% vs state
$646
Median Rent
1981
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 127 business establishments in ZIP 72542, employing approximately 822 people with a combined annual payroll of $22,021,000.
127
Businesses
822
Employees
$22.0M
Annual Payroll
12
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 25 | 19.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 24 | 18.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 15 | 11.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 15 | 11.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 11 | 8.7% |
| Information | 8 | 6.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 4.7% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 3.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 5 | 3.9% |
| Construction | 4 | 3.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 4 | 3.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 3 | 2.4% |
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 72542 vs 72529 →
ZIP 72542 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 72529
Cherokee Village (72529)
4,726 residents
- 72542
Hardy (72542)
3,826 residents
- 72554
Mammoth Spring (72554)
2,923 residents
- 72482 1,241
Williford (72482)
1,241 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 72542 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 72542 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 72554
Mammoth Spring (72554)
$42,851 median income
- 72542
Hardy (72542)
$41,295 median income
- 72529
Cherokee Village (72529)
$37,355 median income
- 72482
Williford (72482)
$35,855 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 72542 ranks #2 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Sharp County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 72542 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 72542? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 72542? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 72542? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 72542? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 72542? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 72542? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 72542? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 72542? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 72542? ▼
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.