Rector is a city in Clay County, Arkansas, home to about 1,750 people across 1.4 square miles. Its ZIP code is 72461.
Homes sold for a median of $88 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Mostly Rector; also Nimmons
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Rector. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Rector’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM)86 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Jonesboro Municipal Airport (JBR)37 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Memphis, TN82 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL409 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Rector; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Rector had 1,862 residents in the 2020 census, down 8% since 2000.
It’s the 165th largest of 615 towns in Arkansas by population.
Clay County grew from 15,886 residents in 1900 to 14,552 in 2020.
Clay County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 90°F in summer, and winter lows average 28°F. About 49.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 5 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Corning, AR weather station (20 miles away).
2,374 jobs at 278 businesses in Clay County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
7 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Rector.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 1 |
|---|---|
| Dentists | 2 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 2 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 3 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Rector School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rector Elementary SchoolRector | Pre-K–6 | 389 | Public | 1.7 mi |
| Rector High SchoolRector | 7–12 | 236 | Public | 1.6 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Nimmons.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.