On CDC estimates, Horseshoe Bend is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns
Horseshoe Bend differs from Arkansas on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Horseshoe Bend. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Horseshoe Bend
Heart disease, COPD and cancer run high in Horseshoe Bend
1 in 8 adults have heart disease (12.5%), vs 7.7% across Arkansas. 1 in 7 adults have COPD (13.4%), vs 8.6% across Arkansas. Cancer is also above the state: 12.6%, vs 8.2% across Arkansas. In all, Horseshoe Bend runs above Arkansas on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 32% of residents are 65 or older (Arkansas 18%), and heart disease, COPD and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Horseshoe Bend looks healthier next to Arkansas than next to the country
It’s healthier than 38% of the 123 Arkansas towns we grade, but 9% of towns nationwide. Much of Arkansas scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
In Horseshoe Bend, insurance isn’t the gap
Only 10.6% of working-age adults are uninsured (Arkansas 11.3%), yet 29.7% say their health is fair or poor, vs 24.4% across the state. Checkups ↓
More high blood pressure in Horseshoe Bend, and more people treating it
51% of adults have high blood pressure (Arkansas 41.4%), but 83.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
Horseshoe Bend is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Horseshoe Bend is healthier than 9%. Against the 4,377 towns with similar household incomes ($35K–$58K), it’s healthier than 31%. Health Grade ↓
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 Horseshoe Bend’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Horseshoe Bend’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Horseshoe Bend is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns, #77 of 123 in Arkansas. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 40% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Horseshoe Bend’s median household income is $46,080; among the 4,377 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($35K–$58K), it’s healthier than 31%, 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 Horseshoe Bend is healthier than 38% of graded towns, against 9% nationally.
Where Horseshoe Bend compares well: binge drinking, 11.9% (U.S. 15.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 83.6% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Horseshoe Bend adults…
Horseshoe Bend runs above AR on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Horseshoe Bend is an older town: 32% 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 Horseshoe Bend as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Horseshoe Bend adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
Care in and near Horseshoe Bend
1 community health center in Horseshoe Bend, 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 Horseshoe Bend; ≈ 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 Horseshoe Bend adults are doing
About the same as Arkansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Horseshoe Bend 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.
11.4% of Horseshoe Bend adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Horseshoe Bend and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horseshoe Bend | D | 40.2% | 17.5% | 18.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Horseshoe Bend adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Horseshoe Bend
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Horseshoe Bend is better than Arkansas on 4 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Horseshoe Bend’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Horseshoe Bend | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.7%25.5–34.7 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.5%17–22.6 | 15.6% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.4–20.1 | 18.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.2%32–48.9 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17.5%15–20.3 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 51%46.4–55.9 | 41.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 45.3%40.6–50.3 | 38% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 40.2%36.1–44.4 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.3–12 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.6%11.2–13.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 12.5%10.9–14.2 | 7.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 13.4%11.2–15.9 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6%5.2–6.9 | 4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.4%17.8–25.1 | 18.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.1%14.9–21.8 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 37.6%31.9–44.2 | 32.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 11.9%9.6–14.5 | 14.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.9%29.6–42.3 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.6%8.2–13.5 | 11.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.3%79–85.3 | 79% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 48.1%44.2–51.9 | 54.7% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.5%85.3–89.4 | 84.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.6%81–85.8 | 76.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.5%59.4–69.3 | 61.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 65.9%56.9–73.9 | 71.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.2%21.5–29.3 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.9%27.8–38.3 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.6%20.7–28.8 | 27% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.4%13.8–21.1 | 18.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.6%9.6–13.9 | 14.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.8%7.5–10.4 | 10.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9%7.6–10.6 | 9.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.4%8.8–14.4 | 11.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 46.9%41.5–52.9 | 38.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 25%21.4–29.1 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.6%16–21.7 | 18.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 13.6%12.1–15.6 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.8%6.7–9.2 | 6.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12%10.3–14.1 | 10% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.1%5.2–7.2 | 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 Horseshoe Bend
Is Horseshoe Bend a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Horseshoe Bend is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns: D for health, #77 of 123 in Arkansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 31%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Horseshoe Bend?
CDC estimates 40.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 32% and 48.9%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Horseshoe Bend?
Baxter Health Fulton County Hospital in Salem, 12.1 miles in a straight line from Horseshoe Bend’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Horseshoe Bend have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.2–13.5%), 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 Horseshoe Bend 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 Horseshoe Bend.
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.