Photo: Brandonrush · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Fort Smith is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns
Fort Smith trails Arkansas on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fort Smith. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fort Smith
Fort Smith looks healthier next to Arkansas than next to the country
It’s healthier than 45% of the 123 Arkansas towns we grade, but 15% of towns nationwide. Much of Arkansas scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Fort Smith
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (22.8%), vs 18.5% across Arkansas. No reliable transportation (11.9% vs 9.7%) and utility shut-off threats (12.6% vs 10.4%) are higher too. 15.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 7 working-age adults in Fort Smith has no health insurance
15.3% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 11.3% across Arkansas. 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 Fort Smith’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Fort Smith’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Smith is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns, #68 of 123 in Arkansas. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 44% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 8%).
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). Fort Smith’s median household income is $54,816; among the 7,365 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$69K), it’s healthier than 28%, 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 Fort Smith is healthier than 45% of graded towns, against 15% nationally.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.2% of Fort Smith adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Fort Smith adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
Out of every 100 Fort Smith adults…
On every condition, Fort Smith is about the same as Arkansas. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Fort Smith
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Fort Smith, 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 Fort Smith; ≈ 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.
17 miles of trails across 36 parks and preserves
How Fort Smith adults are doing
About the same as Arkansas on each measure.
4 in 10 Fort Smith 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.
Fort Smith and the towns around it
Fort Smith’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 4 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith | D | 37% | 13.8% | 17.2% | CDC place |
| Barling | C | 34.4% | 12.3% | 15.7% | CDC place |
| Van Buren | C− | 38.9% | 12.8% | 17.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fort Smith adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fort Smith
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fort Smith is better than Arkansas on 0 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Fort Smith’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fort Smith | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.2%24.6–30 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%15.1–18.8 | 15.6% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.7%17.6–21.9 | 18.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37%31.4–42.9 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.8%12.1–15.5 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.6%36.9–44.3 | 41.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.7%35.9–43.5 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.3%24.5–30.2 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.4–11.9 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.8–8.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.7%7–8.4 | 7.7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.8%7.9–9.7 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.8–4.4 | 4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.1%16–22.4 | 18.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.2%15.2–19.4 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 35.2%31.1–39.4 | 32.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.5%11–16.1 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.3%33.8–45.1 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.3%13.6–17.2 | 11.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.3%73.8–80.6 | 79% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.1%47.6–54.6 | 54.7% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.1%81.2–85 | 84.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.1%73.4–78.7 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.5%56.6–66.2 | 61.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.7%65–79.6 | 71.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25%21.7–28.5 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.2%32.6–41.7 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.9%24.4–31.5 | 27% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.8%20.3–25.3 | 18.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17%15–19.1 | 14.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.6%11.1–14.1 | 10.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.9%10.6–13.2 | 9.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.2%13.3–17.2 | 11.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.9%35.1–42.8 | 38.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18%16.1–20 | 17.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.8%17.9–21.7 | 18.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.7%7.8–9.6 | 8.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.5%6.9–8.1 | 6.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.1%10–12.2 | 10% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.2%4.8–5.6 | 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 Fort Smith
Is Fort Smith a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Smith is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns: D for health, #68 of 123 in Arkansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 28%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fort Smith?
CDC estimates 37% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.4% and 42.9%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fort Smith?
Mercy Hospital Fort Smith in Fort Smith, 1.1 miles in a straight line from Fort Smith’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fort Smith have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.6–17.2%), 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 Fort Smith 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 Fort Smith.
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.