PlainZIP

Heber Springs, AR · standard

ZIP Code 72543

Cleburne County, Arkansas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

12,535
43/sq mi
$56,722
Median income
$187,800
Median home value
19.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Heber Springs pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

24th pct
household income, US ZIPs
40th pct
home value, US ZIPs
43
people per sq mi
76%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 72543 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 72543 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Heber Springs, Cleburne County, Arkansas, home to 12,535 residents across 293.6 square miles, a density of 43 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 72543 reports a modest median household income of $56,722 (0% above the Arkansas average), while per-capita income is $35,922. Local economic indicators show a 13.6% poverty rate alongside 9.1% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $187,800 (29% above the state average); renters pay a median of $849 monthly, and 75.7% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.7, and the average commute is 23 minutes. Beyond these figures, 4 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Cleburne County, letting you compare 72543 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 72543

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Heber Springs, AR

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 72543.

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 72543, Heber Springs, 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

12,535

Population

293.6

Area (sq mi)

43

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 72543?

47.7

Median Age

49.2%

Male

50.8%

Female

0.6%

Foreign-Born

White 95.5%
African American 0.4%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.6%
Hispanic or Latino 2.8%

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?

$56,722

Median Household Income

+0% vs state

$35,922

Per Capita Income

13.6%

Poverty Rate

9.1%

Unemployment Rate

22.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 72543 ranks nationally

Heber Springs, AR household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$56,722 24th percentile higher than 24% 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 57.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.3%

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

What does housing look like?

7,153

Total Housing Units

5,259

Occupied Units

1,894

Vacant Units

2.30

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 75.7%
Renter 24.3%

$187,800

Median Home Value

+29% vs state

$849

Median Rent

1985

Median Year Built

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

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+16.9%

YoY Change (2024)

242

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+142%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 72543 have increased 16.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +142% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.4% 158
2021 +11.8% 177
2022 +17.4% 208
2023 -0.1% 207
2024 +16.9% 242

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 381 business establishments in ZIP 72543, employing approximately 4,785 people with a combined annual payroll of $185,970,000.

381

Businesses

4,785

Employees

$186.0M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 66 17.3%
Health care and social assistance 58 15.2%
Accommodation and food services 46 12.1%
Other services (except public administration) 39 10.2%
Construction 31 8.1%
Finance and insurance 28 7.3%
Manufacturing 23 6.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 20 5.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 19 5.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 18 4.7%
Wholesale trade 11 2.9%
Information 10 2.6%
Utilities 3 0.8%
Transportation and warehousing 3 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 0.8%

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 72543 vs 72581 →

ZIP 72543 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 72543 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 72543 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 72543 ranks #2 of 3 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
72581 Tumbling Shoals, AR 1,030 6.4 mi
72137 Rose Bud, AR 2,555 8.4 mi
72546 Ida, AR 181 9.1 mi
72179 Wilburn, AR 450 8.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Cleburne County

72131 standard
Quitman, AR
Pop: 4,631
72067 standard
Higden, AR
Pop: 2,726
72530 standard
Drasco, AR
Pop: 1,987
72523 standard
Concord, AR
Pop: 1,091
72581 standard
Tumbling Shoals, AR
Pop: 1,030
72044 standard
Edgemont, AR
Pop: 881

Related Areas

Cleburne County Heber Springs, AR Arkansas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 72543 in? ▼
ZIP code 72543 (Heber Springs) is located in Cleburne County, Arkansas. Cleburne County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cleburne-ar.
What is the population of ZIP code 72543? ▼
ZIP code 72543 in Heber Springs, AR has a population of 12,535 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 72543? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 72543 is $56,722, which is 26% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 72543? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 72543 is $187,800, which is 32% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 72543? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 72543 is White at 95.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 72543? ▼
ZIP code 72543 has 381 business establishments employing approximately 4,785 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 72543? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 72543 are: Retail trade (66), Health care and social assistance (58), Accommodation and food services (46). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 72543? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 72543 increased by 16.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 142%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 72543? ▼
In ZIP code 72543, 57.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.3% 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 72543? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 72543 is 22.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 72543? ▼
In ZIP code 72543, approximately 75.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 72543? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 72543 is 13.6% 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.