Photo: Thomas R Machnitzki ([email protected]) · CC BY 3.0Within Arkansas, Lake City is healthier than 60% of graded towns
Lake City trails Arkansas on 1 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lake City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lake City
Lake City looks healthier next to Arkansas than next to the country
It’s healthier than 60% of the 123 Arkansas towns we grade, but 23% of towns nationwide. Much of Arkansas scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Lake City has a community health center but no hospital
Arcare is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Baptist Memorial Hospital Jonesboro in Jonesboro, 10.8 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Lake City’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Lake City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake City is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns, #50 of 123 in Arkansas. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 57% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Lake City’s median household income is $60,273; among the 9,002 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 35%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Care in and near Lake City
1 community health center in Lake City, 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 Lake City; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Lake City adults…
Lake City runs above AR on 1 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 mile of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Lake City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
How Lake City adults are doing
About the same as Arkansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Lake City 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.
10% of Lake City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Lake City and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake City | C− | 37.8% | 11.6% | 17% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lake City adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lake City
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lake City is better than Arkansas on 0 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Lake City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lake City | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24%20.4–27.9 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%13.6–18 | 15.6% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.1%17.4–22.7 | 18.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.8%31.6–44.2 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.6%9.9–13.5 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.4%35.3–43.5 | 41.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%34–42.1 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.7%26.6–33.1 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.2–12 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.6–9.5 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.6–8.5 | 7.7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9%7.6–10.5 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.3–4.3 | 4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 27.8%23.3–32.3 | 18.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17%13.7–20.2 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 31.8%26.6–36.9 | 32.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.1%13.2–19.4 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.6%32.8–44.5 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.4%7.9–13.5 | 11.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.7%72.8–80.4 | 79% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55%51.2–58.8 | 54.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.9%80.2–85.6 | 84.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.3%72.5–78.2 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.5%55.1–65.5 | 61.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.1%62.6–78.4 | 71.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.9%24–32.1 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.4%29.6–39.3 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.8%22.7–31.1 | 27% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.2%12.8–19.8 | 18.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.5%10.1–15 | 14.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.1%7.5–10.6 | 10.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9%7.5–10.6 | 9.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10%7.7–12.6 | 11.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.3%34.2–44.3 | 38.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.1%14.6–19.9 | 17.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.1%17.1–23 | 18.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.9%7.7–10.1 | 8.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%4.9–6.6 | 6.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.4%8.8–12.1 | 10% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.6–4.9 | 4.6% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Lake City
Is Lake City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake City is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #50 of 123 in Arkansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 35%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lake City?
CDC estimates 37.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.6% and 44.2%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lake City?
Baptist Memorial Hospital Jonesboro in Jonesboro, 10.8 miles in a straight line from Lake City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lake City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.9–13.5%), 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 Lake City more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Lake City.
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.