Photo: Brandonrush · CC BY-SA 4.0Brinkley’s CDC health estimates rank near the bottom of U.S. towns
Brinkley differs from Arkansas on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Brinkley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Brinkley
Brinkley is in the bottom 1% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Brinkley is healthier than only 1% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
Stroke, diabetes and COPD run high in Brinkley
1 in 15 adults have had a stroke (6.5%), vs 4% across Arkansas. 1 in 5 adults have diabetes (20.8%), vs 13.3% across Arkansas. COPD is also above the state: 12.5%, vs 8.6% across Arkansas. In all, Brinkley runs above Arkansas on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Arkansas 18%), and stroke, diabetes and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Brinkley
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (31%), vs 18.5% across Arkansas. Utility shut-off threats (17.6% vs 10.4%) and no reliable transportation (15.1% vs 9.7%) are higher too. 24.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More high blood pressure in Brinkley, and more people treating it
54.3% of adults have high blood pressure (Arkansas 41.4%), but 82.1% 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 Brinkley’s likely range.
What’s behind Brinkley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brinkley is near the bottom of U.S. towns. All seven of Brinkley’s estimates fall in the lowest 10% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is no exercise: 42.8% of adults, against 32.1% across Arkansas and 24.7% 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). Brinkley’s median household income is $38,996; among the 2,101 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($29K–$49K), it’s healthier than 8%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Brinkley compares well: binge drinking, 10.5% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 82.4% (U.S. 77.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.1% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Brinkley adults…
Brinkley runs above AR on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Brinkley is an older town: 25% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Arkansas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Brinkley as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
24.2% of Brinkley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Brinkley adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
Care in and near Brinkley
1 community health center in Brinkley, 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 Brinkley; ≈ 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.
0.9 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Brinkley adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Brinkley runs above Arkansas.
4 in 10 Brinkley 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.
Brinkley and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brinkley | D− | 46.3% | 20.8% | 21.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Brinkley adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Brinkley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Brinkley is better than Arkansas on 3 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Brinkley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Brinkley | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 34.8%30.6–39.2 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.9%17.4–22.4 | 15.6% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20%17.6–22.6 | 18.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 46.3%37.7–55.2 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 20.8%18.2–23.8 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 54.3%49.8–58.8 | 41.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.6%37.9–47.5 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.2%31.4–39.2 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.5–13.5 | 10.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.1%7.3–9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.6%9.5–11.9 | 7.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.5%10.7–14.2 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.5%5.9–7.2 | 4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 26.5%22.5–30.7 | 18.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.5%18.3–25.1 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 42.8%36.9–49 | 32.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 10.5%8.4–13 | 14.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43%35.7–50.6 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.3%10.8–16.1 | 11.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.4%79.2–85.4 | 79% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 43.7%39.9–47.6 | 54.7% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.8%83.8–87.9 | 84.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.1%79.6–84.5 | 76.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.2%57.5–68.5 | 61.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.6%64–80 | 71.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%19.5–26.8 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.9%31.5–42.5 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 32.6%28.2–36.9 | 27% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 31%26.6–35.5 | 18.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 22.4%19.2–25.5 | 14.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 17.6%15.2–19.9 | 10.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 15.1%13.1–17.2 | 9.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.2%20.4–28.1 | 11.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 47.3%42.1–52.8 | 38.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 26.9%23.5–30.2 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.3%18.7–24.2 | 18.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10%8.9–11.2 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.2%8.9–11.4 | 6.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.3%12.5–16.3 | 10% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.9%6.9–9 | 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 Brinkley
Is Brinkley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brinkley is near the bottom of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 8%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Brinkley?
CDC estimates 46.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 37.7% and 55.2%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Brinkley?
Forrest City Medical Center in Forrest City, 25.5 miles in a straight line from Brinkley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Brinkley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.8–16.1%), 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 Brinkley 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 Brinkley.
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.