Fort Smith, AR · standard
ZIP Code 72908
Sebastian County, Arkansas - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 13,378
- 637/sq mi High-density area
- $72,732
- Median income Near-median income area
- $197,000
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 29.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Fort Smith pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 49%
- household income, US ZIPs
- 43rd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 637
- people per sq mi
- 66%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 72908 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 72908 (Fort Smith, AR) fell -3.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 205.2 in 2023 to 197.9 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 72908 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas, home to 13,378 residents across 21.0 square miles, a density of 637 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 72908 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $72,732 (29% above the average Arkansas ZIP), while per-capita income is $40,553. The poverty rate is 10.9%, with unemployment at 3.9%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $197,000 (35% above the average Arkansas ZIP), while 65.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $940.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 29.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.4, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 9 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Sebastian County, so 72908 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 72908
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Fort Smith, AR
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 72908.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
60 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
36 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
33 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
32 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing 23
Transportation and warehousing
23 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 72908, Fort Smith, 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
13,378
Population
21.0
Area (sq mi)
637
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 72908?
41.4
Median Age
45.7%
Male
54.3%
Female
6.4%
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?
$72,732
Median Household Income
+29% vs state ZIP avg
$40,553
Per Capita Income
10.9%
Poverty Rate
3.9%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 72908 ranks among Arkansas ZIPs
Fort Smith, 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)
$72,732 Top 17% higher than 83% 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
6,345housing units
6,345
Total Housing Units
5,906
Occupied Units
439
Vacant Units
2.40
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$197,000
Median Home Value
+35% vs state ZIP avg
$940
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
-3.5%
YoY Change (2024)
198
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+98%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 72908 have decreased 3.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +98% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.0% | 141 |
| 2021 | +8.6% | 153 |
| 2022 | +18.0% | 181 |
| 2023 | +13.4% | 205 |
| 2024 | -3.5% | 198 |
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 319 business establishments in ZIP 72908, employing approximately 6,592 people with a combined annual payroll of $393,386,000.
319
Businesses
6,592
Employees
$393.4M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 60 | 18.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 36 | 11.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 33 | 10.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 32 | 10.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 23 | 7.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 21 | 6.6% |
| Manufacturing | 20 | 6.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 19 | 6.0% |
| Construction | 18 | 5.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 16 | 5.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 14 | 4.4% |
| Finance and insurance | 11 | 3.5% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 5 | 1.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4 | 1.3% |
| Information | 3 | 0.9% |
| Educational services | 3 | 0.9% |
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 72908 vs 72901 →
ZIP 72908 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 72903
Fort Smith (72903)
26,148 residents
- 72904
Fort Smith (72904)
21,893 residents
- 72901
Fort Smith (72901)
21,591 residents
- 72908
Fort Smith (72908)
13,378 residents
- 72916 7,131
Fort Smith (72916)
7,131 residents
- 72923 4,735
Barling (72923)
4,735 residents
- 74954 4,590
Roland (74954)
4,590 residents
- 74902 4,095
Pocola (74902)
4,095 residents
- 74901 1,992
Arkoma (74901)
1,992 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 72908 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 72908 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 72916
Fort Smith (72916)
$87,983 median income
- 72908
Fort Smith (72908)
$72,732 median income
- 72903
Fort Smith (72903)
$61,434 median income
- 74954
Roland (74954)
$58,397 median income
- 72923
Barling (72923)
$54,157 median income
- 74902
Pocola (74902)
$50,545 median income
- 74901
Arkoma (74901)
$43,929 median income
- 72901
Fort Smith (72901)
$42,851 median income
- 72904
Fort Smith (72904)
$41,909 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 72908 ranks #2 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72901 | Fort Smith, AR | 21,591 | 4.2 mi |
| 72916 | Fort Smith, AR | 7,131 | 3.2 mi |
| 74901 | Arkoma, OK | 1,992 | 4.0 mi |
| 72903 | Fort Smith, AR | 26,148 | 4.1 mi |
| 72923 | Barling, AR | 4,735 | 5.7 mi |
| 74946 | Moffett, OK | 137 | 6.4 mi |
| 74902 | Pocola, OK | 4,095 | 5.9 mi |
| 72904 | Fort Smith, AR | 21,893 | 7.5 mi |
| 74954 | Roland, OK | 4,590 | 9.7 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 72908, 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 (13,378 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Sebastian County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 72908 in?
ZIP code 72908 (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 72908?
ZIP code 72908 in Fort Smith, AR has a population of 13,378 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 72908?
The median household income in ZIP 72908 is $72,732, which is 5% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 72908?
The median home value in ZIP 72908 is $197,000, which is 29% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 72908?
The largest racial group in ZIP 72908 is White at 78.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 72908?
ZIP code 72908 has 319 business establishments employing approximately 6,592 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 72908?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 72908 are: Retail trade (60), Wholesale trade (36), Other services (except public administration) (33). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 72908?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 72908 decreased by 3.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 98%. 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 72908?
In ZIP code 72908, 56.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 29.3% 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 72908?
In ZIP code 72908, approximately 65.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 34.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 72908?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 72908 is 10.9% 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 72908's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 72908 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Fort Smith, 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.