Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Ashdown is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns
Ashdown differs from Arkansas on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ashdown. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ashdown
Ashdown is in the bottom 6% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Ashdown is healthier than only 6% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on five of the seven. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Ashdown
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23.8%), vs 18.5% across Arkansas. Utility shut-off threats (14.1% vs 10.4%) and no reliable transportation (12% vs 9.7%) are higher too. 17.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Stroke, diabetes and COPD run high in Ashdown
1 in 19 adults have had a stroke (5.3%), vs 4% across Arkansas. 1 in 6 adults have diabetes (17.1%), vs 13.3% across Arkansas. COPD is also above the state: 10.5%, vs 8.6% across Arkansas. In all, Ashdown runs above Arkansas on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Ashdown, and more people treating it
48.2% of adults have high blood pressure (Arkansas 41.4%), but 80.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Arkansas figure falls outside Ashdown’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Ashdown’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ashdown is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns, #94 of 123 in Arkansas. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 21% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 4%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Ashdown’s median household income is $55,625; among the 7,621 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 10%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Few Arkansas towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Ashdown is healthier than 24% of graded towns, against 6% nationally.
Where Ashdown compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.6% (U.S. 76.5%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17.2% of Ashdown adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Out of every 100 Ashdown adults…
Ashdown runs above AR on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ashdown adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
Care in and near Ashdown
1 hospital in Ashdown, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Ashdown; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Arkansas
Share of adults, with the Arkansas figure marked.
1.5 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Ashdown adults are doing
About the same as Arkansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Ashdown adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Ashdown and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashdown | D | 43.6% | 17.1% | 18% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ashdown adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ashdown
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ashdown is better than Arkansas on 1 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Ashdown’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ashdown | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.1%24.6–31.7 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.3–19.6 | 15.6% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.1%16.9–21.4 | 18.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.6%35.6–51.7 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17.1%14.9–19.3 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 48.2%44–52.6 | 41.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.2%35.9–44.6 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.4%30–36.9 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.9–12.6 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%7.8–9.5 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.3%8.3–10.3 | 7.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.5%9.1–12 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.3%4.8–5.8 | 4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.3%16–22.9 | 18.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18%15.4–20.9 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 38%32.7–43.6 | 32.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.3%10–14.8 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.8%33.6–48.1 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.8%8.9–12.9 | 11.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.3%78.1–84.3 | 79% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.7%48.7–56.6 | 54.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.1%84.2–87.7 | 84.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.6%78.2–82.8 | 76.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.1%59.6–70.1 | 61.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.1%66.9–82.1 | 71.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%20.8–27.8 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.2%28.9–39.8 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.5%23.5–31.7 | 27% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.8%20.6–27.5 | 18.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.7%15.3–20.3 | 14.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14.1%12.4–16.1 | 10.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12%10.6–13.7 | 9.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.2%14.8–20.1 | 11.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 43.5%38.5–48.5 | 38.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.2%19.5–24.9 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.2%17–21.5 | 18.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.6%8.5–10.7 | 8.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8%7.2–8.8 | 6.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12%10.6–13.5 | 10% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.2%5.5–6.8 | 4.6% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Arkansas figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Ashdown
Is Ashdown a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ashdown is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns: D for health, #94 of 123 in Arkansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 10%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ashdown?
CDC estimates 43.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.6% and 51.7%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ashdown?
Little River Memorial Hospital in Ashdown, 0.6 miles in a straight line from Ashdown’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Ashdown have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.9–12.9%), against 11.3% across Arkansas.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Ashdown more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Ashdown.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Arkansas figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.