Photo: PhotolitherlandChris Litherland · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Eureka Springs is healthier than 80%
Eureka Springs differs from Arkansas on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Eureka Springs. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Eureka Springs
Eureka Springs is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Eureka Springs is healthier than 24%. Against the 1,970 towns with similar household incomes ($29K–$48K), it’s healthier than 80%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Eureka Springs
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (11.8%), vs 8.2% across Arkansas. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (9.9%), vs 7.7% across Arkansas. Arthritis is also above the state: 36.5%, vs 28.5% across Arkansas. In all, Eureka Springs runs above Arkansas on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Arkansas 18%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Eureka Springs, and more people treating it
47.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Arkansas 41.4%), but 82.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
Eureka Springs keeps up with checkups
It beats Arkansas on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (82.2% vs 79%) and cholesterol checks (88.9% vs 84.8%). 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 Eureka Springs’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Eureka Springs’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Eureka Springs is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 60% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Eureka Springs’ median household income is $38,425; among the 1,970 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($29K–$48K), it’s healthier than 80%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Eureka Springs compares well: checkup in the past year, 82.2% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 88.9% (U.S. 87.1%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.4% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Eureka Springs adults…
Eureka Springs runs below AR on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Eureka Springs is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Arkansas. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Eureka Springs as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Eureka Springs adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
Care in and near Eureka Springs
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Eureka Springs, 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 Eureka Springs; ≈ 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.
8.8 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
How Eureka Springs adults are doing
About the same as Arkansas on each measure.
3 in 10 Eureka Springs 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.
8.6% of Eureka Springs adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Eureka Springs and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eureka Springs | C− | 37.5% | 15.3% | 15.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Eureka Springs adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Eureka Springs
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Eureka Springs is better than Arkansas on 10 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Eureka Springs’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Eureka Springs | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.9%20.3–27.8 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%14.8–19.6 | 15.6% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.5–18.7 | 18.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.5%30.3–45.3 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.3%13.2–17.8 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 47.9%43.5–52.5 | 41.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44.1%39.6–48.7 | 38% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 36.5%32.8–40.6 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.2%9–11.6 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.8%10.6–13.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.9%8.6–11.2 | 7.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.5%8.5–12.5 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.1–5.4 | 4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.5%9.3–13.8 | 18.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.5%12.6–18.6 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 33.2%27.8–39 | 32.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.7%10.4–15.4 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.1%28.6–42 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7–11 | 11.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.2%79.1–85.1 | 79% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57%53.1–60.8 | 54.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.9%87.2–90.5 | 84.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.4%79.8–84.9 | 76.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.3%64.1–74.1 | 61.6% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.1%63.9–79.3 | 71.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.7%21.2–28.8 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.5%25.2–35.7 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23%19.1–27 | 27% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.8%10.9–16.9 | 18.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.5%8.5–12.6 | 14.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8%6.6–9.4 | 10.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.3–8.9 | 9.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.6%6.5–10.7 | 11.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39%34.1–44.4 | 38.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.7%16.6–22.9 | 17.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.2%14–18.8 | 18.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.9%9.6–12.3 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.2–7 | 6.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.7%8.2–11.3 | 10% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.1–5.7 | 4.6% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Eureka Springs
Is Eureka Springs a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Eureka Springs is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Eureka Springs?
CDC estimates 37.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.3% and 45.3%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Eureka Springs?
Mercy Hospital Berryville in Berryville, 12.0 miles in a straight line from Eureka Springs’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Eureka Springs have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7–11%), 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 Eureka Springs more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Eureka Springs.
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.