Photo: Brandonrush · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Hot Springs is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns
Hot Springs differs from Arkansas on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Hot Springs. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hot Springs
Hot Springs looks healthier next to Arkansas than next to the country
It’s healthier than 37% of the 123 Arkansas towns we grade, but 9% of towns nationwide. Much of Arkansas scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Stroke, heart disease and COPD run high in Hot Springs
1 in 20 adults have had a stroke (5%), vs 4% across Arkansas. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (9.6%), vs 7.7% across Arkansas. COPD is also above the state: 10.6%, vs 8.6% across Arkansas. In all, Hot Springs runs above Arkansas on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Hot Springs
22.4% of adults worry about having enough food, vs 18.5% across Arkansas. Utility shut-off threats (13% vs 10.4%) are higher too. 16% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More high blood pressure in Hot Springs, and more people treating it
47.1% of adults have high blood pressure (Arkansas 41.4%), but 80.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
Hot Springs is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Hot Springs is healthier than 9%. Against the 4,933 towns with similar household incomes ($36K–$60K), it’s healthier than 28%. 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 Hot Springs’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Hot Springs’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hot Springs is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns, #78 of 123 in Arkansas. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 24% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 7%).
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). Hot Springs’ median household income is $47,760; among the 4,933 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$60K), 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 Hot Springs is healthier than 37% of graded towns, against 9% nationally.
Where Hot Springs compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.5% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Hot Springs adults…
Hot Springs runs above AR on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16% of Hot Springs adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Hot Springs adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
Care in and near Hot Springs
3 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Hot 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 Hot 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.
27 miles of trails across 14 parks and preserves
How Hot Springs adults are doing
About the same as Arkansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Hot 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.
Hot Springs and the towns around it
Hot Springs’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Springs | D | 41.2% | 16.2% | 17.5% | CDC place |
| Piney | D− | 43.9% | 15.6% | 22.1% | CDC place |
| Lake Hamilton | C | 37.8% | 14.8% | 14.5% | CDC place |
| Rockwell | C | 38.1% | 13.2% | 14.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Hot Springs adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hot Springs
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hot Springs is better than Arkansas on 1 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Hot Springs’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hot Springs | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.4%25.5–31.2 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%16–19.9 | 15.6% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.6%16.6–20.6 | 18.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.2%35–47.2 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.2%14.3–18.2 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 47.1%43.1–50.9 | 41.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39%35–42.7 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.9%30.6–37 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.4–11.9 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.9%9–10.7 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.6%8.6–10.5 | 7.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.6%9.5–11.7 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5%4.7–5.4 | 4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.6%17.3–23.9 | 18.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.5%15.3–19.6 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 33.8%29.4–38 | 32.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.1%10.7–15.5 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.7%33.3–44.3 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.6%10.9–14.3 | 11.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.3%76.9–83.1 | 79% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52%48.3–55.4 | 54.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.8%84–87.3 | 84.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.5%78–82.7 | 76.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.8%59–68.4 | 61.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.7%64–78.5 | 71.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%20.9–27.6 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.8%30.2–39.7 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.8%23.3–30.5 | 27% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.4%19.8–25 | 18.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17%14.9–19.2 | 14.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13%11.4–14.5 | 10.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.6%10.3–12.9 | 9.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16%14.1–18.1 | 11.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 43.6%39.3–47.6 | 38.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.2%19.8–24.4 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.1%17.2–21 | 18.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.2%9.1–11.3 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.9%7.3–8.6 | 6.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.8%10.7–13 | 10% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.9%5.4–6.4 | 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 Hot Springs
Is Hot Springs a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hot Springs is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns: D for health, #78 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 Hot Springs?
CDC estimates 41.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 35% and 47.2%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hot Springs?
CHI St. Vincent Hospital Hot Springs in Hot Springs, 0.0 miles in a straight line from Hot Springs’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Hot Springs have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.9–14.3%), 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 Hot Springs 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 Hot 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.