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Downtown Huntsville, ARPhoto: Brandonrush · CC BY-SA 3.0
DHealth Grade
Health in Huntsville · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Huntsville is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns

Huntsville trails Arkansas on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

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

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Huntsville

Huntsville is in the bottom 6% of U.S. towns for health

On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Huntsville is healthier than only 6% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on six of the seven. Health Grade ↓

Dental care lags in Huntsville

46.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 54.7% across Arkansas. Among those 65 and older, 23.4% have lost all their teeth (Arkansas 18.6%). Checkups ↓

Making ends meet is harder in Huntsville

1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23.5%), vs 18.5% across Arkansas. No reliable transportation (11.8% vs 9.7%) is higher too. Everyday needs ↓

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 Huntsville’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.

Health Grade

What’s behind Huntsville’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Huntsville is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns, #95 of 123 in Arkansas. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 22% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 4%).

DSelf-rated health29.7% · AR 24.4% · U.S. 19.4%
DPhysical distress18.2% · AR 15.6% · U.S. 13%
DMental distress20.7% · AR 18.5% · U.S. 15.9%
DObesity41.6% · AR 39.3% · U.S. 32.9%
C−Diabetes14.1% · AR 13.3% · U.S. 12%
DSmoking19.2% smoke · AR 15.8% · U.S. 11.8%
D−Exercise37.5% · AR 32.1% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 6%
Less healthyHealthier
Arkansas towns we grade (123)Healthier than 23%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $43K–$72K (8,265)Healthier 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). Huntsville’s median household income is $57,813; among the 8,265 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 7%, 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 Huntsville is healthier than 23% of graded towns, against 6% nationally.

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Huntsville could be anywhere from D− to C.

How TownRatings grades health →

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

77%Yearly checkupAR 79%
46%Dentist visitAR 55%
82%Cholesterol checkAR 85%
59%Colon screeningAR 62%
67%MammogramAR 71%
76%Taking BP medsAR 77%
1 in 7
working-age adults has no health insurance
Huntsville 15.3% · Arkansas 1 in 9 (11.3%)
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 4
Huntsville adults worry about having enough food
23.5% · AR 18.5%
Worse than AR
1 in 6
Huntsville adults worry about keeping their housing
17% · AR 14.4%
About the same as AR
1 in 8
Huntsville adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
11.8% · AR 10.4%
About the same as AR
1 in 8
Huntsville adults lack reliable transportation
11.8% · AR 9.7%
Worse than AR

15% of Huntsville adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Huntsville adults…

Huntsville runs above AR on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

11 of every 100 Huntsville adults have COPD
Arkansas: 9 in 100 · worse · likely 9–12.5%
Better than ARWorseAbout the sameArkansas
Getting care

Care in and near Huntsville

1 community health center in Huntsville, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERMercy Hospital BerryvilleBerryville · 18.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost careBoston Mountain Rural Health CenterHuntsville · 0.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.6 mi
Boston Mountain Rural Health Center
4 sites · nearest in Huntsville
Sliding-scale feesIn Huntsville
Directions to nearest
2 mi
Arcare
2 sites · nearest in Huntsville
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
17.4 mi
Fayetteville AR VA Medical Center
Fayetteville · ★★★★★
ERFor veterans
18.8 mi
Mercy Hospital Berryville
Berryville · not rated
ERRural critical access
20.8 mi
Eureka Springs Hospital Commission
Eureka Springs · not rated
ER
23.2 mi
Northwest Medical Center-Springdale
Springdale · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Huntsville itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Huntsville itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Huntsville itself

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 Huntsville; ≈ 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 37.5%AR 32.1%
Sleep under 7 hours 39%AR 38.1%
Binge drink 14.6%AR 14.6%
Smoke cigarettes 19.2%AR 15.8%
0%10%20%30%40%
Huntsville, betterHuntsville, worseAbout the sameArkansas
Where Huntsville gets moving

1 mile of trails across 3 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Huntsville adults are doing

About the same as Arkansas on each measure.

4 in 10Huntsville adults feel lonely
36.9% · AR 34.2% · About the same as AR
3 in 10Huntsville adults lack social or emotional support
29.7% · AR 27% · About the same as AR
1 in 4Huntsville adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.1% · AR 24.6% · About the same as AR
1 in 5Huntsville adults are in frequent mental distress
20.7% · AR 18.5% · About the same as AR
The one neighbors can help with

4 in 10 Huntsville 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.

Around town

Huntsville and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
HuntsvilleD41.6%14.1%19.2%CDC place

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

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

45.6%

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

Walking or climbing stairs20.9%
Thinking or memory22%
Hearing10.6%
Errands alone12.7%
Vision8%
Dressing or bathing5.6%
Arkansas

Every CDC estimate for Huntsville

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Huntsville is better than Arkansas on 0 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Huntsville’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…HuntsvilleARU.S.vs AR
Overall health
Fair or poor health29.7%25.5–34.124.4%19.4%Worse
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)18.2%15.8–20.815.6%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)20.7%18.2–23.218.5%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity41.6%33.8–49.839.3%32.9%About the same
Diabetes14.1%12.1–16.113.3%12%About the same
High blood pressure42.6%38.4–46.841.4%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)38.7%34.5–4338%37.1%About the same
Arthritis31.1%27.8–34.528.5%25.3%About the same
Asthma10.9%9.6–12.310.3%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer8.5%7.6–9.48.2%7.9%About the same
Coronary heart disease8.9%7.7–10.17.7%6.4%About the same
COPD10.7%9–12.58.6%6.3%Worse
Stroke4.7%4.1–5.34%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)23.4%19.3–27.918.6%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes19.2%16–22.415.8%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work37.5%31.7–43.432.1%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking14.6%12–17.614.6%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours39%32.2–4638.1%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)15.3%12.6–18.511.3%11%Worse
Checkup in the past year77.1%73.4–80.779%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year46.2%42.3–50.254.7%63.2%Worse
Cholesterol check in 5 years81.5%78.7–8484.8%87.1%Worse
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)75.6%72.9–78.176.9%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)58.6%53.2–63.961.6%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)67%58–75.771.4%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression26.1%22.3–30.124.6%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely36.9%31.3–42.434.2%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support29.7%25.2–34.327%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food23.5%19.5–27.418.5%15%Worse
Worried about keeping housing17%14.3–19.614.4%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off11.8%10.1–13.610.4%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation11.8%10.1–13.59.7%7.9%Worse
Received SNAP (food stamps)15%12.1–17.911.6%11.6%Higher
Disability
Any disability45.6%40.3–5138.2%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs20.9%18–2417.6%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering22%19.1–25.118.2%13.9%Higher
Hearing difficulty10.6%9.2–11.98.6%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty8%6.9–9.16.2%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone12.7%10.9–14.710%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing5.6%4.8–6.44.6%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 Huntsville

Is Huntsville a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Huntsville is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns: D for health, #95 of 123 in Arkansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 7%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Huntsville?

CDC estimates 41.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.8% and 49.8%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Huntsville?

Mercy Hospital Berryville in Berryville, 18.8 miles in a straight line from Huntsville’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Huntsville have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 15.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.6–18.5%), 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 Huntsville 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 Huntsville.

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. 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.