Ash Flat CVK, 2011
Ash Flat’s story
170 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
- 1856Ash Flat is settled
Ash FlatAR
A town of 1,156, settled in 1856. A regional job hub with 1,375 jobs.
Population
1,156
2025 Census estimate · +2.9% since 2020
Typical home
$161K
+2% in a year
Household income
$42K
median
Median age
54.6
years
Jobs based here
1,375
A job hub
Is Ash Flat a good place to live?
Ash Flat’s best subject grades are an A for schools and civic life and an A− for cost of living; its weakest is a D− for incomes. 35% of residents are 65 or older in Ash Flat, where Arkansas’ towns sit at 16% and U.S. towns at 18%. Only 1 of the 124 Arkansas towns we compare have a higher median age than Ash Flat. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 89% of the country. On civic life, just 7 of Arkansas’ 182 towns do better. The biggest park or preserve is Ash Flat Ball Park, at 20 acres. Ash Flat has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Ash Flat stand out
Where Ash Flat beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here1,375
Residents who work329
Work
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 99% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Ash Flat5.2
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical AR town3.4
Civic lifeA
53% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Arkansas town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Typical home value
Ash Flat$161K
Arkansas$224K
Cost of livingA−
3.6 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 83% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Small town
1,156 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Cherokee VillageAsh Flat
How Ash Flat grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arkansas), ordered by how far Ash Flat is from typical.
Jobs & income$42K median household incomeD−Open →SchoolsBeat 91% of Arkansas districts on tests and graduationAOpen →HealthBaxter Health Fulton County Hospital 15.3 miles awayDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →SafetyMore crime per resident than 83% of U.S. townsC−Open →Cost of livingA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.6 of 20; 7.7% of households have no car; 3.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailC−Open →History2 notable people born hereDOpen →Civic life5.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 54.6; 13% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Ash Flat: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ash Flat, and how to reach them.
PowerEntergy Arkansas13.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAsh Flat Water Company1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers84% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Ash Flat’s trash rules yet
Register to voteIn personArkansas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSharp County ClerkSharp County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2021
ZIP code7251372513 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Ash Flat.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Ash Flat has 4.2 jobs for every working resident, and 1,309 people commute in
About one in 5 of Ash Flat’s working residents works in town. At 14 minutes, Ash Flat’s average trip to work is below both the Arkansas town median (21 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). 22% of residents live below the poverty line in Ash Flat.
20%work in town
| Ash Flat | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 14 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 22% | 18% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $42,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 20% | 22% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Ash Flat20%
Batesville9%
Little Rock8%
Hardy6%
Highland5%
26 mi
median commute distance
1,375
jobs based in Ash Flat
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 68% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthD
Ash Flat earns a D for health
49% of Ash Flat adults have high blood pressure. Ash Flat beats the Arkansas average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 20% of Ash Flat adults report frequent physical distress.
11%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Ash Flat | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 41% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 16% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 34% | 25% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Arkansas
5 better16 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Ash Flat | AR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.9% | 14.6% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.8% | 14.4% |
| More adults with heart disease | 12% | 7.7% |
Baxter Health Fulton County Hospital
15.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyC−
Compared with most of Arkansas and the rest of the country, property crime in Ash Flat is higher
Ash Flat’s property crime rate is 39.8 per 1,000 residents. Ash Flat reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 83% report less. Ash Flat’s violent crime rate is 1.7 per 1,000 residents.
17%of U.S. towns report more crimeC−Safety Grade
| Ash Flat | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 39.8 per 1,000 residents | 13.6 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.7 per 1,000 residents | 3.6 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Ash Flat1.7
Arkansas5.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Ash Flat39.8
Arkansas16.7
U.S.15.5
17th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
47
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Very high risk in Ash Flat, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 82% of U.S. communities.
82risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingIce stormsEarthquakes
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A−
The typical home in Ash Flat is valued at about $161K
The typical Ash Flat home is worth about $161,000, up 2% in a year, 28% below the Arkansas typical home.
$161KZillow home value
Typical home value
Ash Flat$161K
Arkansas$224K
+2%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Ash Flat has four seasons and hot summers
Ash Flat has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Ash Flat is 90°F.
7″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter28–49°
Spring46–69°
Summer66–88°
Fall47–71°
Oct 31
typical first frost
Apr 4
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 4,055 acres
0.9 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ash Flat Ball Park | 0.3 mi | 20 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ash Flat
20pages on Ash Flat
The big questions
SchoolsABeat 91% of AR districtsSafetyC−1.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than AR on 5 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−$161K typical home · up 2% in a yearWork & commuteD−$42K median household income · 1,375 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 82% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Ash Flat; the nearest are
Ozarka CollegeCommunity college · Public · Melbourne20.6 mi$3,820 in-state tuitionArkansas State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Jonesboro58.5 mi$8,090 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Ash Flat residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Arkansas.
A job hub
Every workday, about 1,309 people come to Ash Flat for work
Where Ash Flat’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,375jobs based in Ash Flat
20%of working residents work in town
26 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Ash Flat
City in Arkansas, United States
Ash Flat is a city in Fulton and Sharp counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas with a population of 1,137 in 2020. It is the county seat of Sharp County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1856
- Area
- 6.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 663 ft
- ZIP code
- 72513
- Area code
- 870
Questions about Ash Flat
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ash Flat, AR expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.
What is Ash Flat, AR known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Gordon Carpenter and Preacher Roe.