Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Within Arkansas, Little Rock is healthier than 70% of graded towns
Little Rock differs from Arkansas on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Little Rock. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Little Rock
Little Rock looks healthier next to Arkansas than next to the country
It’s healthier than 70% of the 123 Arkansas towns we grade, but 36% of towns nationwide. Much of Arkansas scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Little Rock is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Little Rock is healthier than 36%. Against the 9,593 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 53%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Little Rock
1 in 7 adults were threatened with a utility shut-off (13.7%), vs 10.4% across Arkansas. Housing insecurity (17.5% vs 14.4%) and no reliable transportation (11.7% vs 9.7%) are higher too. 15.4% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Little Rock has six hospitals within its borders
6 hospitals and 3 community health centers are inside Little Rock. Getting care ↓
COPD and heart disease are less common in Little Rock
Little Rock runs below Arkansas on COPD (6.8% vs 8.6%) and heart disease (6.3% vs 7.7%). Conditions ↓
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 Little Rock’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
What’s behind Little Rock’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Little Rock is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns, #38 of 123 in Arkansas. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 64% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). Little Rock’s median household income is $63,003; among the 9,593 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 53%, about where its income would put it.
Where Little Rock compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 7% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 206,427 residents, Little Rock is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.4% of Little Rock adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Care in and near Little Rock
6 hospitals and 3 community health centers in Little Rock.
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 Little Rock; ≈ 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 Little Rock adults…
Little Rock runs below AR on 4 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.
94 miles of trails across 77 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Little Rock adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
How Little Rock adults are doing
About the same as Arkansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Little Rock 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.
Little Rock and the towns around it
Little Rock has the best Health Grade of the 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock | C+ | 40.5% | 13.1% | 13.3% | CDC place |
| College Station | — | — | — | — | |
| Alexander | C | 38.9% | 11% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| North Little Rock | D | 43% | 14.5% | 16.3% | CDC place |
College Station: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Little Rock adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Little Rock
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Little Rock is better than Arkansas on 8 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Little Rock’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Little Rock | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23%20.8–25.2 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%12.1–15 | 15.6% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15.6–19.4 | 18.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.5%35.9–44.8 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.1%11.5–14.5 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 41.4%38.1–44.4 | 41.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.5%32.3–38.5 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.7%23.2–28 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.5 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7%6.3–7.7 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 7.7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.8%6.2–7.6 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.6–4.2 | 4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.1%14.7–19.7 | 18.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3%11.6–15 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 29.2%26–32.3 | 32.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%11.9–16.7 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.8%34.9–42.9 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.4%10–12.9 | 11.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.5%77.5–83.1 | 79% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.4%54.5–60.3 | 54.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.1%84.3–87.7 | 84.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.8%73–78.1 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.3%62.6–70.1 | 61.6% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.8%72.3–82.7 | 71.4% | 76.4% | Better |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%19.8–25.5 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.9%31.4–38.8 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.3%25.3–31.6 | 27% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.4%19.4–23.7 | 18.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.5%15.7–19.5 | 14.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.7%12.4–15.3 | 10.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.7%10.6–13 | 9.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.4%13.8–17.1 | 11.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.6%31.4–37.8 | 38.2% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.5%14.8–18.1 | 17.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.7%15–18.5 | 18.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.8–7.2 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 6.7%6.2–7.2 | 6.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.7%8.8–10.7 | 10% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.4–5.2 | 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 Little Rock
Is Little Rock a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Little Rock is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #38 of 123 in Arkansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 53%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Little Rock?
CDC estimates 40.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.9% and 44.8%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Little Rock?
CHI-St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock, 1.8 miles in a straight line from Little Rock’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Little Rock have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10–12.9%), 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 Little Rock more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Little Rock.
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.