Fort Smith, AR · standard

ZIP Code 72901

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

Reviewed by PlainZIP Editorial Team, ZIP Code Data Editors · June 7, 2026

21,591
952/sq mi: $42,851
Median income: $118,100
Median home value: 19.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Fort Smith pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

7th pct
household income, US ZIPs: 16th pct
home value, US ZIPs: 952
people per sq mi: 43%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 72901 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 72901 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 22.7 square miles in Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas. The area is home to 21,591 residents, producing a population density of 952 people per square mile, and falls within the Chicago time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 72901 against Arkansas and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 72901 sits at $42,851 (24% below the Arkansas average), while per-capita income is $26,107. The poverty rate stands at 26.1% and the unemployment rate at 11.6%. On housing, the median home value is $118,100 (19% below the state average) with median rent at $854 per month, and 43.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 72901 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 19.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.6, and the average commute is 17 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Sebastian County, so you can benchmark 72901 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 72901

Retail trade

142
Health care and social assistance

121
Professional, scientific, and technical services

105
Accommodation and food services

99
Other services (except public administration)

89

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 72901, Fort Smith, AR · 2023 Accessed 2026-06-07 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

21,591

Population

22.7

Area (sq mi)

952

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 72901?

35.6

Median Age

50.1%

Male

49.9%

Female

9.6%

Foreign-Born

White 59.8%

African American 9.3%

Asian 3.1%

American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9%

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%

Two or More Ethnicities 16.0%

Hispanic or Latino 19.3%

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?

$42,851

Median Household Income

-24% vs state

$26,107

Per Capita Income

26.1%

Poverty Rate

11.6%

Unemployment Rate

17.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 72901 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$42,851 7th percentile higher than 7% 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 56.4%

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.1%

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

What does housing look like?

10,266

Total Housing Units

8,789

Occupied Units

1,477

Vacant Units

2.22

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 43.3%

Renter 56.7%

$118,100

Median Home Value

-19% vs state

$854

Median Rent

1959

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

+13.4%

YoY Change (2024)

223

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+123%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 72901 have increased 13.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +123% cumulative appreciation.

Year	Annual Change	HPI Index
2020	-3.0%	139
2021	+14.2%	159
2022	+12.4%	178
2023	+10.0%	196
2024	+13.4%	223

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 944 business establishments in ZIP 72901, employing approximately 18,066 people with a combined annual payroll of $937,175,000.

944

Businesses

18,066

Employees

$937.2M

Annual Payroll

Industry Sectors

Industry	Establishments	% of Total
Retail trade	142	15.0%
Health care and social assistance	121	12.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services	105	11.1%
Accommodation and food services	99	10.5%
Other services (except public administration)	89	9.4%
Wholesale trade	62	6.6%
Manufacturing	61	6.5%
Finance and insurance	54	5.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	49	5.2%
Construction	47	5.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing	37	3.9%
Information	20	2.1%
Transportation and warehousing	17	1.8%
Educational services	11	1.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation	10	1.1%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction	9	0.9%
Management of companies and enterprises	7	0.7%
Utilities	3	0.3%

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 72901 vs 74901 →

72956

34,074
72903

26,148
72904

21,893
72901

21,591
72908

13,378
72916

7,131
72923

4,735
74954

4,590
74902

4,095

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 72901 ranks #4 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

72916

$87,983
72908

$72,732
72956

$62,988
72903

$61,434
74954

$58,397
72923

$54,157
74902

$50,545
74901

$43,929
72901

$42,851

What this shows By household income, ZIP 72901 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

ZIP Code	City	Population	Distance
74901	Arkoma, OK	1,992	2.7 mi
74946	Moffett, OK	137	2.7 mi
72908	Fort Smith, AR	13,378	4.2 mi
72903	Fort Smith, AR	26,148	3.3 mi
72904	Fort Smith, AR	21,893	3.7 mi
72916	Fort Smith, AR	7,131	7.2 mi
74954	Roland, OK	4,590	6.2 mi
72923	Barling, AR	4,735	7.0 mi
72956	Van Buren, AR	34,074	8.0 mi
74902	Pocola, OK	4,095	9.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Sebastian County

Sebastian County Fort Smith, AR Arkansas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 72901 in? ▼

ZIP code 72901 (Fort Smith) is located in Sebastian County, Arkansas. Sebastian County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/sebastian-ar.

What is the population of ZIP code 72901? ▼

ZIP code 72901 in Fort Smith, AR has a population of 21,591 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in ZIP 72901? ▼

The median household income in ZIP 72901 is $42,851, which is 44% below the national average of $76,288.

What is the average home value in ZIP 72901? ▼

The median home value in ZIP 72901 is $118,100, which is 58% below the national average of $278,155.

What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 72901? ▼

The largest racial group in ZIP 72901 is White at 59.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 19.3% of the population.

How many businesses are in ZIP code 72901? ▼

ZIP code 72901 has 944 business establishments employing approximately 18,066 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.

What are the main industries in ZIP code 72901? ▼

The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 72901 are: Retail trade (142), Health care and social assistance (121), Professional, scientific, and technical services (105). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.

How have home values changed in ZIP code 72901? ▼

According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 72901 increased by 13.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 123%. 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 72901? ▼

In ZIP code 72901, 56.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.1% 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 72901? ▼

The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 72901 is 17.2 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 72901? ▼

In ZIP code 72901, approximately 43.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 56.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 72901? ▼

The poverty rate in ZIP code 72901 is 26.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.