Population & age
- Total population
- 768
- Median age
- 52.0
ZIP 72538, AR (72538)
Fulton County · Population 768
Fresh.Data current as of Apr 24, 2026
AR 72538 (ZIP 72538) sits in Fulton County. The page draws on 1 federal data feed retrieved Apr 24. Top health signal: High Blood Pressure comes in above the national average at 50.7%. No NCES schools are mapped to this ZIP in the current dataset. 3 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $3,820. IRS data shows average household income (AGI) of $50,244 per tax return. BLS QCEW reports average annual pay of $41,242 per worker, roughly 37% below the US average. FEMA has issued 28 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1969 — a high-frequency exposure profile. County Health Rankings reports 12,325 years of potential life lost per 100,000 (2025) — well above the national county median. Arkansas levies a flat state income tax (top rate 3.90%); a household at the local median AGI of $50,244 would pay roughly $1,176/year before deductions. IRS migration data (2022-2023) shows a net gain of 236 residents (79 households) — the ZIP's primary county is growing. Healthcare access is the area's quieter strength; school options sit on the lighter side, so families may find themselves looking at districts a few ZIPs over. Notable: median household income $41,949, fair market rent of $910 for a two-bedroom, and a low 0.0% poverty rate. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
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Demographics
Race & ethnicity
- White
- 100.0%
- Black
- 0.0%
- Asian
- 0.0%
- Hispanic / Latino
- 0.0%
Income & housing
- Median household income
- $41,949
Education
- Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)
- 18.8%
Employment
- Unemployment rate
- 1.1%
Housing
- Owner-occupied
- 275(100.0%)
- Renter-occupied
- 0(0.0%)
- Vacant units
- 39
- Built (median)
- 2002
Commute
- Public transit
- 0(0.0%)
- Work from home
- 7(1.9%)
Economic wellbeing
- Below poverty line
- 0(0.0%)
- Uninsured
- 0(0.0%)
Digital access
- Broadband access
- 99(36.0%)
- No broadband
- 176(64.0%)
Language & nativity
- Foreign-born
- 0(0.0%)
- Non-English at home
- 0(0.0%)
Fair Market Rent
Fresh.HUD SAFMR · May 1, 2026Studio
$680
/month
1 Bed
$750
/month
2 Bed
$910
/month
3 Bed
$1,180
/month
4 Bed
$1,320
/month
HUD Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of standard-quality rental housing in this area. FY2026 data.
New housing construction
New housing units permitted
0
Across 0 permitted buildings. Total construction value: $0.
Single-family
0
Multifamily (2+ unit)
0
Single-family value
$0
construction value
Multifamily value
$0
construction value
Based on county-level data (2024).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (census.gov/construction/bps). Public domain. BPS reports annual residential building permits from local permit-issuing jurisdictions, aggregated to county. A permit reflects intent to build, not a completed unit — actual construction lags by 6-24 months for multifamily projects.
Income & tax statistics
Tax returns filed
160
Average AGI
$50,244
Avg property tax
—
EITC participation
18.8%
Income distribution
- $1 – $25,00031.3% · 50
- $25,000 – $50,00025.0% · 40
- $50,000 – $75,00018.8% · 30
- $75,000 – $100,00025.0% · 40
- $100,000 – $200,0000.0% · 0
- $200,000 or more0.0% · 0
Avg mortgage interest
—
Avg charitable contribution
—
Avg capital gains
—
Avg total income tax
—
Source: IRS Statistics of Income — Individual Income Tax Statistics by ZIP Code (irs.gov). Public domain. Dollar columns reported in thousands by the IRS; figures here display real dollars. Total ZCTA AGI for the area was $8.0M across all reported brackets.
Business & employment
Business establishments
6
Total employment
48
Annual payroll
$2.5M
Average annual pay
$52,563
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Business Patterns (census.gov). Public domain. ZBP covers establishments with paid employees; Census suppresses employment and payroll values when fewer employers operate in a ZIP than would protect their confidentiality.
Employment & wages
Average annual pay
$41,242
Average weekly wage
$793
Total employment
1,775
Total establishments
214
That is roughly 37% below the US national average of $65,470 per worker.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (bls.gov/cew). Public domain. QCEW is derived from state unemployment-insurance filings and covers ~95% of US jobs. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches; small-employer cells are suppressed by BLS to protect employer confidentiality.
Unemployment
Unemployment rate
4.3%
That is 0.3 percentage points above the US national unemployment rate of about 4.0%.
Labor force
3,967
Employed
3,796
Unemployed
171
Based on Fulton County, AR data (2024).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (bls.gov/lau). Public domain. LAUS publishes monthly and annual labor-force estimates for every US county. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches.
Federal Disaster Declarations
Federally Declared Disasters
28
Date Range
1969–2026
Most Recent Declaration
SEVERE WINTER STORM
Winter Storm — declared January 24, 2026 (DR-3636)
Incident period: January 23, 2026 – January 27, 2026
Top Incident Types
- Severe Storm12 (43%)
- Flood5 (18%)
- Severe Ice Storm4 (14%)
- Hurricane2 (7%)
- Biological2 (7%)
- Other3 (11%)
Individual Assistance
8
Direct help to disaster survivors
Households Program
7
Housing & temporary lodging support
Public Assistance
25
Repair of public facilities & roads
Hazard Mitigation
12
Funding to reduce future disaster risk
FEMA declares disasters at the county level; counts here include every federally declared disaster touching any county that overlaps this ZIP. Statewide declarations and pre-1964 records without county granularity are excluded. Program flags reflect which FEMA assistance categories were activated (Individual Assistance, Households, Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation). Source: fema.gov/openfema. Public domain.
Climate
30-year averages (1991-2020) from the nearest GHCN-D weather station. Temperature and precipitation values reflect typical annual conditions, not any single year.
Avg. temperature
57.5°F
46° – 69°
Annual precipitation
49.6"
Annual snowfall
4.8"
Heating · cooling days
4,182.4 · 1,479.5
Annual base 65°F
Nearest station: SALEM, AR US, 17.6 miles from the centroid of ZIP 72538 (ZIP 72538)
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals (ncei.noaa.gov). Public domain.
Community health profile
Years of potential life lost (per 100K)
12,325
That is roughly 4,125 years per 100,000 above the national county median (~8,200).
Premature death is the headline composite outcome CHR reports — age-adjusted, all-cause, before age 75.
Fair or poor health
28%
of adults self-report
Poor physical health days
5.8
avg per adult per month
Poor mental health days
6.8
avg per adult per month
Uninsured
9.3%
of residents under 65
Primary care MDs
41
per 100,000 residents
Preventable hospital stays
3,298
per 100K Medicare enrollees
Food environment (0-10)
6.7
10 = best access & security
Exercise access
26%
residents near a facility
Flu vaccinated
38%
of Medicare enrollees
Low birth weight (under 2,500 g) accounts for 8.3% of live births in this county — an early-life health input that downstream outcomes track against.
Based on Fulton data (2025 CHR release).
Source: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (countyhealthrankings.org). Annual release. Underlying source datasets vary by measure (CDC BRFSS, NCHS Vital Statistics, AHA, USDA Food Environment Atlas, and others). Figures are county-level and assigned to every ZIP whose primary county matches.
Food access
Food access status
Moderate food access challenges
13.9% of Fulton County, AR residents live more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket.
Grocery stores
—
per 1,000 residents
Supercenters & clubs
—
per 1,000 residents
SNAP-authorized stores
0.58
accepting food benefits
Fast-food restaurants
0.24
per 1,000 residents
Among low-income residents, 5.9% are low-access — those without a supermarket within 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural).
Per-1,000 figures show how many of each store type exist in Fulton County, AR for every 1,000 residents. Higher grocery and supercenter density usually means easier access to fresh food; higher convenience-store-only density (with low grocery rate) often signals a food swamp.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Environment Atlas (ers.usda.gov). County-level metrics fanned to ZIP via the primary county in the Census ZCTA-county relationship file. Variable years differ per family (stores ~2020, low-access ~2019).
Safety
FBI publishes crime data at the county level. Numbers below cover the primary county that contains this ZIP. Rates are per 100,000 residents in the area covered by reporting agencies.
Violent crime rate
—
per 100K residents · 32 reports
Property crime rate
—
per 100K residents · 68 reports
Homicide
2
Robbery
0
Burglary
9
Vehicle theft
9
County-level data for Fulton (2024)
Source: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program (cde.ucr.cjis.gov). Public domain. Coverage varies by reporting agency; areas with partial agency coverage may understate true crime totals.
Who’s moving in and out
Net migration (2022-2023)
▲+236 people
+79 households • +$9.1M net AGI flow
Moved in
552households
1,159 people • $27.7M AGI
Moved out
473households
923 people • $18.6M AGI
Where new residents came from
- Sharp County, AR — 50 households
- Baxter County, AR — 35 households
- Izard County, AR — 27 households
- Oregon County, MO — 22 households
- Howell County, MO — 21 households
Where departing residents went
- Sharp County, AR — 63 households
- Baxter County, AR — 33 households
- Howell County, MO — 22 households
Incoming households reported an average AGI of $50,100 versus departing households' $39,235.
Source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income, Migration Data (irs.gov). Public domain. Migration is measured by year-over-year changes in the address on individual tax returns; figures are county-level totals attributed to ZIPs whose primary county matches. Foreign migration contributes to inflow/outflow totals but does not appear in the top-county lists. Small flows are suppressed by IRS to protect taxpayer confidentiality.
Taxes & benefits in Arkansas
State-level rules that apply to every resident of ZIP 72538. Numbers reflect the most recent published year per source.
Tax rates
Income tax
3.90%
flat · 1 brackets
Sales tax (combined)
9.46%
State 6.50% · avg local 2.96%
Property tax (effective)
0.52%
Median $679/year
Tax burden rank
28 of 50
10.30% of personal income
For ZIP 72538: At this ZIP's median AGI of $50,244, the estimated state income tax (before deductions) runs about $1,176 per year.
Paid family leave
Program
Voluntary (private insurance framework)
Voluntary (private insurance framework)
Safety net
SNAP eligibility
130% FPL
Federal 130% FPL gross income limit. Asset limit $3,000.
Sources: Tax Foundation (state tax rates & brackets), Bipartisan Policy Center (paid family leave), USDA FNS (SNAP categorical eligibility).
Other ZIPs near 72538
Nearby ZIPs by distance
72544 (Henderson, 5.8 mi) · 72583 (Viola, 6.3 mi) · 65609 (Bakersfield, 7 mi) · 72537 (Gamaliel, 7.4 mi) · 65777 (8.3 mi) · 72531 (9.5 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
Data sources used on this page
All data on this page is sourced from federal government datasets · Not AI-generated · Methodology
Health profile
Crude prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES, derived from BRFSS small-area modeling. Population-level figures only.
Obesity
39.2%
6.2pp above the 33.0% national rate.
High Blood Pressure
50.7%
18.7pp above the 32.0% national rate.
Depression
26.0%
4.0pp above the 22.0% national rate.
Annual Checkup
81.4%
5.4pp above the 76.0% national rate.
Health Insurance
11.3%
Tracks close to the 13.0% national rate.
Diabetes
18.1%
7.1pp above the 11.0% national rate.
Colleges & universities nearby
Colleges in this area
3
Median in-state tuition
$3,820
Median earnings (10 yr)
$33,706
- 2-Year
University of Arkansas Community College-Batesville
Batesville, AR · 72503
- In-state tuition
- $3,630
- Out-of-state tuition
- $4,662
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Graduation rate
- 60.1%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $33,706
- Median student debt
- $10,250
- 4-Year
Lyon College
Batesville, AR · 72501
- In-state tuition
- $31,000
- Out-of-state tuition
- $31,000
- Acceptance rate
- 62.8%
- Graduation rate
- 51.0%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $44,232
- Median student debt
- $21,500
- 2-Year
Ozarka College
Melbourne, AR · 72556
- In-state tuition
- $3,820
- Out-of-state tuition
- $6,820
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Graduation rate
- 45.2%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $29,314
- Median student debt
- $9,818
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov). Public domain data. Earnings figures reflect median earnings 10 years after entry for federally-aided students.
What these numbers say together
AR 72538 (ZIP 72538) sits in Fulton County. The page draws on 1 federal data feed retrieved Apr 24. Top health signal: High Blood Pressure comes in above the national average at 50.7%. No NCES schools are mapped to this ZIP in the current dataset. 3 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $3,820. IRS data shows average household income (AGI) of $50,244 per tax return. BLS QCEW reports average annual pay of $41,242 per worker, roughly 37% below the US average. FEMA has issued 28 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1969 — a high-frequency exposure profile. County Health Rankings reports 12,325 years of potential life lost per 100,000 (2025) — well above the national county median. Arkansas levies a flat state income tax (top rate 3.90%); a household at the local median AGI of $50,244 would pay roughly $1,176/year before deductions. IRS migration data (2022-2023) shows a net gain of 236 residents (79 households) — the ZIP's primary county is growing. Healthcare access is the area's quieter strength; school options sit on the lighter side, so families may find themselves looking at districts a few ZIPs over. Notable: median household income $41,949, fair market rent of $910 for a two-bedroom, and a low 0.0% poverty rate. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
The two domains pull in different directions. Healthcare access reads strong, but the on-paper school count is on the lighter side — that’s less a quality signal and more a density one. Households here often look at districts a few ZIPs over for school choice while keeping their providers local.
One concrete reading worth keeping: Depression prevalence sits higher the national rate at 26.0%. Each figure on this page links to the original federal dataset with its retrieval date — this synthesis is a reading, not a substitute for the underlying records.
Frequently Asked Questions — ZIP 72538
What is the obesity rate in ZIP 72538?
39.2%, which is 6.2 percentage points above the national average of 33.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the depression rate in ZIP 72538?
26.0%, which is 4.0 percentage points above the national average of 22.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the high blood pressure rate in ZIP 72538?
50.7%, which is 18.7 percentage points above the national average of 32.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the population of ZIP 72538?
768 people live in ZIP 72538, with a median age of 52.0 (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the median household income in ZIP 72538?
$41,949 per year (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
Is ZIP 72538 mostly renters or homeowners?
In ZIP 72538, 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 0.0% are renter-occupied (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
How do people commute in ZIP 72538?
In ZIP 72538, 1.9% of workers work from home. Public transit is used by 0.0% of commuters (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the poverty rate in ZIP 72538?
0.0% of the population in ZIP 72538 lives below the federal poverty line (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What percentage of households in ZIP 72538 have broadband internet?
36.0% of households in ZIP 72538 have broadband internet access (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the average household income in ZIP 72538?
The average Adjusted Gross Income reported on tax returns from ZIP 72538 (AR 72538) is $50,244 per return (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
How much do homeowners pay in property tax in ZIP 72538?
Tax returns from ZIP 72538 report an average of $0 per return in real-estate tax deductions (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What percentage of residents in ZIP 72538 earn over $200,000?
0.0% of tax returns from ZIP 72538 (AR 72538) report Adjusted Gross Income of $200,000 or more (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
How many businesses are in ZIP 72538?
As of 2022, 6 business establishments operated in ZIP 72538 employing 48 workers (Census ZIP Business Patterns, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What is the average salary in ZIP 72538?
The average annual pay across all local establishments in ZIP 72538 is $52,563, based on Census ZIP Business Patterns 2022 data (retrieved May 3, 2026).
How vulnerable is ZIP 72538 to disasters and public health emergencies?
According to the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (2022), ZIP 72538 ranks in the 58th percentile nationally for social vulnerability — a high vulnerability profile (retrieved May 3, 2026).
What is the biggest vulnerability factor in ZIP 72538?
Socioeconomic Status is the highest-scoring CDC SVI theme for ZIP 72538, ranking in the 69th percentile nationally (CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022, retrieved May 3, 2026).
How many federally declared disasters has ZIP 72538 experienced?
FEMA has recorded 28 federal disaster declarations affecting ZIP 72538 between 1969–2026 (FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What kinds of disasters most often hit ZIP 72538?
Severe Storm is the most common federally declared disaster type affecting ZIP 72538, accounting for 12 of 28 declarations (43%, FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What was the most recent disaster declared for ZIP 72538?
The most recent FEMA disaster declaration affecting ZIP 72538 was "SEVERE WINTER STORM" — a winter storm declared in 2026 (DR-3636) (FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What colleges are near ZIP 72538?
3 colleges and universities are listed near ZIP 72538 by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, including University Of Arkansas Community College-Batesville, Lyon College, and Ozarka College (retrieved May 2, 2026).
What is the average tuition at colleges near ZIP 72538?
Median in-state tuition across 3 nearby institutions is $3,820 (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What do graduates earn from colleges near ZIP 72538?
Graduates of nearby colleges earn a median of $33,706 ten years after entry (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What is the climate like in ZIP 72538?
ZIP 72538 has an average annual temperature of 57.5°F and 49.5" of annual precipitation based on the SALEM, AR US weather station 17.6 miles from the ZIP centroid (NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, retrieved May 8, 2026).
What taxes apply in ZIP 72538?
Arkansas has a flat income tax with a top rate of 3.90%. Households at the local median AGI of $50,244 would pay roughly $1,176 in state income tax annually (estimated, before deductions). Combined sales tax: 9.46% (Tax Foundation 2025).
Does Arkansas have paid family leave?
Arkansas runs an active paid family leave program offering up to — weeks of paid leave per year (Bipartisan Policy Center 2026).
What data is available for ZIP 72538?
This page covers health outcomes from CDC PLACES (40 metrics), demographics from the Census ACS 5-Year (2022), colleges from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (3 institutions), income & tax statistics from the IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022), local business & employment from Census ZIP Business Patterns (2022), social vulnerability scores from the CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022), federal disaster declarations from FEMA OpenFEMA (28 on record), climate normals from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020), county-level crime data from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024), and state-level tax rates from the Tax Foundation. Data is refreshed on Mubboo's standard schedule.
How current is this data?
Health data retrieved Apr 24, 2026 from CDC PLACES. Demographics retrieved Apr 30, 2026 from Census ACS 5-Year (2022). College data retrieved May 2, 2026 from U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard. Income & tax statistics retrieved May 2, 2026 from IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022). Business & employment retrieved May 3, 2026 from Census ZBP (2022). Social vulnerability scores retrieved May 3, 2026 from CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022). Federal disaster declarations retrieved May 3, 2026 from FEMA OpenFEMA (28 on record). Climate normals retrieved May 8, 2026 from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020). County-level crime data retrieved May 4, 2026 from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024). State-level tax rates retrieved 2026-05-05 15:58:22.284+00 from the Tax Foundation.
Other ZIPs near 72538
Nearby ZIPs by distance
72544 (Henderson, 5.8 mi) · 72583 (Viola, 6.3 mi) · 65609 (Bakersfield, 7 mi) · 72537 (Gamaliel, 7.4 mi) · 65777 (8.3 mi) · 72531 (9.5 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
More Info topics
Have a specific question about ZIP 72538?
Ask Mubboo — launching Q4 2026.
Data refreshed via Mubboo's ETL pipeline; oldest source on this page retrieved Apr 24, 2026.
Social Vulnerability Index
Overall SVI
58th percentile
High Vulnerability
Based on 1 census tract, population 659
Vulnerability Themes
Households Without Vehicle
9
Persons with Disability
134
Without HS Diploma
68
Without Health Insurance
96
Adults Age 65+
154
The Social Vulnerability Index uses U.S. Census data to identify communities most at risk during public health emergencies and natural disasters. Higher percentiles indicate greater vulnerability. Tract-level scores are aggregated to this ZCTA via Census 2020 ZCTA→Tract crosswalk, weighted by land-area share. Source: atsdr.cdc.gov. Public domain.