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Houston Methodist Episcopal Church, SouthHouston Methodist Episcopal Church, South · Photo: Valis55 · CC BY-SA 3.0
–Not graded
Health in Houston · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Houston residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Houston, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Houston. How CDC estimates town health

Fair or poor health
25.2%
About the same as AR (24.4%)
Obesity
39.8%
About the same as AR (39.3%)
No exercise
33.5%
About the same as AR (32.1%)
Uninsured
9.4%
About the same as AR (11.3%)
Feel lonely
32.5%
About the same as AR (34.2%)
Nearest ER
9.3 mi
CHI St. Vincent Morrilton
What stands out

What stands out about health in Houston

46.9%saw a dentist this year · AR 54.7%
★ What stands out · Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Houston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.

78%Yearly checkupAR 79%
47%Dentist visitAR 55%
85%Cholesterol checkAR 85%
57%Colon screeningAR 62%
68%MammogramAR 71%
78%Taking BP medsAR 77%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Houston 9.4% · Arkansas 1 in 9 (11.3%)
Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Houston adults…

Houston runs above AR on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

42 of every 100 Houston adults have high blood pressure
Arkansas: 41 in 100 · about the same · likely 37.3–47%
Better than ARWorseAbout the sameArkansas
Getting care

Care in and near Houston

No hospital or community health center in Houston itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERCHI St. Vincent MorriltonMorrilton · 9.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyConway Regional Medical Center★★★★★ · 13.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHealthy ConnectionsConway · 13.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
9.3 mi
CHI St. Vincent Morrilton
Morrilton · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
13.4 mi
Healthy Connections
3 sites · nearest in Conway
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
13.9 mi
Conway Regional Medical Center
Conway · ★★★★★
ER
DirectionsMedicare profile
15.3 mi
Boston Mountain Rural Health Center - Conway
Conway · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
Directions
15.8 mi
Baptist Health Medical Center- Conway
Conway · ★★★★★
ER
DirectionsMedicare profile
25.3 mi
Arkansas Surgical Hospital
No Little Rock · not rated
ER
DirectionsMedicare profile
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Houston itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Houston itself
✓ Mental healthHouston is not a shortage area

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 Houston; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Arkansas

Share of adults, with the Arkansas figure marked.

Get no exercise 33.5%AR 32.1%
Sleep under 7 hours 40.3%AR 38.1%
Binge drink 15.9%AR 14.6%
Smoke cigarettes 19.7%AR 15.8%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Houston, betterHouston, worseAbout the sameArkansas
Where Houston gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Mind & connection

How Houston adults are doing

About the same as Arkansas on each measure.

1 in 3Houston adults feel lonely
32.5% · AR 34.2% · About the same as AR
1 in 4Houston adults lack social or emotional support
25.9% · AR 27% · About the same as AR
1 in 4Houston adults have been diagnosed with depression
26% · AR 24.6% · About the same as AR
1 in 5Houston adults are in frequent mental distress
19.1% · AR 18.5% · About the same as AR
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Houston adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 6
Houston adults worry about having enough food
16.7% · AR 18.5%
About the same as AR
1 in 8
Houston adults worry about keeping their housing
12.5% · AR 14.4%
About the same as AR
1 in 11
Houston adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.5% · AR 10.4%
About the same as AR
1 in 11
Houston adults lack reliable transportation
8.8% · AR 9.7%
About the same as AR

10.7% of Houston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.

Around town

Houston and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

39.2%

of Houston adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs18.7%
Thinking or memory19%
Hearing9.1%
Errands alone10.4%
Vision6.1%
Dressing or bathing5%
Arkansas

Questions about health in Houston

Why doesn’t Houston have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Houston.

What hospital is closest to Houston?

CHI St. Vincent Morrilton in Morrilton, 9.3 miles in a straight line from Houston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Houston.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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. 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.