On CDC estimates, Highland is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns
Highland differs from Arkansas on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Highland. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Highland
Highland is in the bottom 8% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Highland is healthier than only 8% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on five of the seven. Health Grade ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Highland
1 in 8 adults have COPD (11.9%), vs 8.6% across Arkansas. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.4%), vs 7.7% across Arkansas. Stroke is also above the state: 5.1%, vs 4% across Arkansas. In all, Highland runs above Arkansas on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Highland
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (19%), vs 15.8% across Arkansas. Habits ↓
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 Highland’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Highland’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highland is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 25% of U.S. towns); physical distress 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). Highland’s median household income is $49,063; among the 5,430 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$61K), it’s healthier than 21%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Highland compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.9% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Highland adults…
Highland runs above AR on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Arkansas
Share of adults, with the Arkansas figure marked.
1.8 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Highland
1 community health center in Highland, 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 Highland; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Highland adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
How Highland adults are doing
About the same as Arkansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Highland 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.
11.6% of Highland adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Highland and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland | D | 39.4% | 15.7% | 19% | CDC place |
| Cherokee Village | D | 39.3% | 18.4% | 19% | CDC place |
| Hardy | — | — | — | — |
Hardy: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Highland adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Highland
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Highland is better than Arkansas on 1 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Highland’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Highland | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.3%24.7–31.9 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%16.5–21 | 15.6% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.1%16.8–21.4 | 18.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.4%31.5–47.8 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.7%13.6–17.8 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 45.7%41.2–50.1 | 41.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.9%38.2–47.6 | 38% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 35.7%31.9–39.4 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.4–12.1 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.4%9.4–11.5 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.4%9.3–11.6 | 7.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.9%10.4–13.5 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.1%4.6–5.6 | 4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.1%16.5–24 | 18.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19%16.1–21.9 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 36.4%31–41.9 | 32.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.7%11.1–16.7 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.7%29.3–42.6 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.5%8.6–12.8 | 11.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.7%77.3–84 | 79% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.1%49.1–56.9 | 54.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.3%83.2–87.3 | 84.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.9%78.2–83.4 | 76.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.8%56.4–66.8 | 61.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 65.4%56.7–73.7 | 71.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.4%22.6–30.5 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.1%28.1–38.4 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.5%21.8–29.5 | 27% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.8%14.9–21 | 18.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.5%10.6–14.6 | 14.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.6%8.2–11 | 10.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.4%8.1–10.8 | 9.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.6%9.6–14 | 11.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 43.8%38.7–48.8 | 38.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.1%19.4–25 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.5%17–21.9 | 18.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.4%10.2–12.8 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.1%6.3–7.9 | 6.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.6%10.2–13.1 | 10% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.6%5–6.4 | 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 Highland
Is Highland a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highland is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 21%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Highland?
CDC estimates 39.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.5% and 47.8%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Highland?
Baxter Health Fulton County Hospital in Salem, 18.0 miles in a straight line from Highland’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Highland have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.6–12.8%), 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 Highland 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 Highland.
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.