Photo: Thomas R Machnitzki · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Arkansas, Marion is healthier than 70% of graded towns
Marion beats Arkansas on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Marion. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Marion
Marion 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 ↓
Heart disease and COPD are less common in Marion
Marion runs below Arkansas on four chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (5.6% vs 7.7%), COPD (6.3% vs 8.6%) and stroke (3.2% vs 4%). A young population is part of it: only 13% of residents are 65 or older (Arkansas 18%). 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 Marion’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Marion’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Marion is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns, #37 of 123 in Arkansas. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 59% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Marion’s median household income is $78,330; among the 10,833 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$98K), it’s healthier than 32%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Marion compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.6% (U.S. 7.9%); coronary heart disease, 5.6% (U.S. 6.4%); no health insurance (ages 18–64), 8.9% (U.S. 11%).
Out of every 100 Marion adults…
Marion runs below AR on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Marion residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Arkansas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Marion
No hospital or community health center in Marion itself. These are the nearest.
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 Marion; ≈ 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.
3.5 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Marion adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
How Marion adults are doing
About the same as Arkansas on each measure.
2 in 5 Marion 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.
10.8% of Marion adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Marion and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion | C+ | 41.3% | 11.5% | 14.2% | CDC place |
| West Memphis | D− | 49.6% | 19.1% | 21% | CDC place |
| Clarkedale | — | — | — | — |
Clarkedale: 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 Marion adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Marion
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Marion is better than Arkansas on 10 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Marion’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Marion | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.3%18.7–24.1 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%12–15.3 | 15.6% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.8%16.6–21 | 18.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.3%33.7–49 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.5%9.9–13.1 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 39.2%34.9–43.5 | 41.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%32.3–40.8 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25%22–28.1 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.5–12.2 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.6%5.9–7.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5–6.2 | 7.7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.3%5.5–7.1 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.2%3–3.5 | 4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.9%10.4–15.6 | 18.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.2%12.2–16.4 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.3%24.9–34 | 32.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.3%12.3–18.4 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.5%32.3–44.9 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7.5–10.5 | 11.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%76.1–83 | 79% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.7%53.8–61.5 | 54.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.2%84.3–87.9 | 84.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.2%70.8–77.1 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.7%58.6–68.4 | 61.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76%68.5–82.4 | 71.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.5%20.8–28.3 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.5%32.3–42.9 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.3%25.2–33.5 | 27% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18%15.4–20.7 | 18.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.9%13.7–18.2 | 14.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.3%9.8–12.9 | 10.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.5%8.4–10.8 | 9.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.8%9.1–12.7 | 11.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.4%30.1–38.8 | 38.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%12.3–16.1 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.2%15.2–19.2 | 18.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.3–6.7 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.5–5.5 | 6.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%7.6–9.6 | 10% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 4.6% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Marion
Is Marion a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Marion is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #37 of 123 in Arkansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 32%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Marion?
CDC estimates 41.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.7% and 49%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Marion?
Baptist Memorial Hospital-Crittenden in West Memphis, 3.1 miles in a straight line from Marion’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Marion have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.5–10.5%), 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 Marion 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 Marion.
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.