Altus, AR · standard
ZIP Code 72821
Franklin County, Arkansas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,048
- 22/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $37,083
- Median income Below-median income area
- $100,000
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 12.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Altus pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 4th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 10th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 22
- people per sq mi
- 76%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 72821 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 72821 covers 95.3 square miles in Altus, Franklin County, Arkansas (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,048 residents on file, a density of 22 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 72821 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $37,083 (34% below the average Arkansas ZIP), while per-capita income is $25,387. The poverty rate is 31.3%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $100,000 (31% below the average Arkansas ZIP), and median rent is $716; owner occupancy is 75.7%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.7, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 more in Franklin County, so 72821 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 72821
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Altus, AR
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 72821.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
5 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
4 establishments
- Construction
Construction
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 72821, Altus, 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
2,048
Population
95.3
Area (sq mi)
22
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 72821?
36.7
Median Age
51.1%
Male
48.9%
Female
0.0%
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?
$37,083
Median Household Income
-34% vs state ZIP avg
$25,387
Per Capita Income
31.3%
Poverty Rate
6.2%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 72821 ranks among Arkansas ZIPs
Altus, 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)
$37,083 13th percentile higher than 13% 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
876housing units
876
Total Housing Units
729
Occupied Units
147
Vacant Units
2.71
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$100,000
Median Home Value
-31% vs state ZIP avg
$716
Median Rent
1976
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 21 business establishments in ZIP 72821, employing approximately 166 people with a combined annual payroll of $4,898,000.
21
Businesses
166
Employees
$4.9M
Annual Payroll
3
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 5 | 23.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 19.1% |
| Construction | 3 | 14.3% |
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 72821 vs 72832 →
ZIP 72821 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 72949
Ozark (72949)
10,177 residents
- 72840 2,149
Hartman (72840)
2,149 residents
- 72821 2,048
Altus (72821)
2,048 residents
- 72832 923
Coal Hill (72832)
923 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 72821 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 72821 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 72949
Ozark (72949)
$56,837 median income
- 72840
Hartman (72840)
$49,750 median income
- 72821
Altus (72821)
$37,083 median income
- 72832
Coal Hill (72832)
$27,356 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 72821 ranks #3 of 4 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 72821, 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 (2,048 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Franklin County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 72821 in?
ZIP code 72821 (Altus) is located in Franklin County, Arkansas. Franklin County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/franklin-ar.
What is the population of ZIP code 72821?
ZIP code 72821 in Altus, AR has a population of 2,048 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 72821?
The median household income in ZIP 72821 is $37,083, which is 51% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 72821?
The median home value in ZIP 72821 is $100,000, which is 64% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 72821?
The largest racial group in ZIP 72821 is White at 94.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 72821?
ZIP code 72821 has 21 business establishments employing approximately 166 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 72821?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 72821 are: Retail trade (5), Other services (except public administration) (4), Construction (3). There are 3 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 72821?
In ZIP code 72821, 61.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.2% 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 72821?
In ZIP code 72821, 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 72821?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 72821 is 31.3% 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 72821's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 72821 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Altus, 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.