Fredonia Cemetery Historic Section · Photo: Valis55 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Bald Knob is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns
Bald Knob trails Arkansas on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bald Knob. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bald Knob
Bald Knob is in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Bald Knob is healthier than only 2% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Bald Knob
1 in 7 adults have COPD (13.4%), vs 8.6% across Arkansas. 1 in 19 adults have had a stroke (5.4%), vs 4% across Arkansas. Heart disease is also above the state: 10.2%, vs 7.7% across Arkansas. In all, Bald Knob runs above Arkansas on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Bald Knob
45.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 54.7% across Arkansas. Among those 65 and older, 27.6% have lost all their teeth (Arkansas 18.6%). 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 Bald Knob’s likely range.
What’s behind Bald Knob’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bald Knob is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns, #115 of 123 in Arkansas. All seven of Bald Knob’s estimates fall in the lowest 10% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is physical distress: 20% of adults, against 15.6% across Arkansas and 13% nationally.
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). Bald Knob’s median household income is $48,355; among the 5,153 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$60K), it’s healthier than 4%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Bald Knob adults…
Bald Knob runs above AR on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Bald Knob adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
Care in and near Bald Knob
1 community health center in Bald Knob, 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 Bald Knob; ≈ 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.
How Bald Knob adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Bald Knob runs above Arkansas.
1 in 3 Bald Knob 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.1% of Bald Knob adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Bald Knob and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bald Knob | D− | 43.7% | 16.1% | 23% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bald Knob adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bald Knob
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bald Knob is better than Arkansas on 0 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Bald Knob’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bald Knob | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 32.1%27.7–36.6 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20%17.3–22.6 | 15.6% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.6%19–24.3 | 18.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.7%36.6–50.6 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.1%13.9–18.4 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 45.8%41.5–49.9 | 41.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.9%37.8–46 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 34.8%31.3–38.3 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.1–13.1 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.9%7.9–9.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.2%8.9–11.6 | 7.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 13.4%11.3–15.5 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.4%4.7–6.1 | 4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 27.6%23.1–32.4 | 18.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 23%19.3–26.8 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 40.3%34.6–46.1 | 32.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.7%10.2–15.2 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.1%33.2–45.2 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.6%10.8–16.7 | 11.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.9%74.1–81.2 | 79% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 45.3%41.5–49.1 | 54.7% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.1%79.4–84.5 | 84.8% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79%76.2–81.4 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.2%57.8–68.1 | 61.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 66.5%57.7–74.4 | 71.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.9%24–31.8 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34%29.2–39.2 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.4%23.5–31.8 | 27% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 26.7%22.3–31.5 | 18.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17%14.4–20 | 14.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.2%11.4–15.3 | 10.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.7%10.9–14.7 | 9.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.1%15.5–23 | 11.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 47.8%42.3–53.2 | 38.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 24.1%20.8–27.6 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 23.3%20.1–26.5 | 18.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.3%9.9–12.7 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.9%7.7–10.2 | 6.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.1%12.1–16.2 | 10% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.8%5.8–7.8 | 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 Bald Knob
Is Bald Knob a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bald Knob is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns: D− for health, #115 of 123 in Arkansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 4%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bald Knob?
CDC estimates 43.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.6% and 50.6%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bald Knob?
White County Medical Center in Searcy, 8.3 miles in a straight line from Bald Knob’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bald Knob have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.8–16.7%), 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 Bald Knob more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bald Knob.
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.