Photo: RBK72650 · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Marshall is healthier than 46%
Marshall differs from Arkansas on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Marshall. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Marshall
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Marshall
1 in 7 adults have COPD (14.2%), vs 8.6% across Arkansas. 1 in 9 adults have heart disease (11.4%), vs 7.7% across Arkansas. Stroke is also above the state: 5.9%, vs 4% across Arkansas. In all, Marshall runs above Arkansas on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (Arkansas 18%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Marshall is in the bottom 3% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Marshall is healthier than only 3% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on six of the seven. Health Grade ↓
More Marshall adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (40.7%), vs 32.1% across Arkansas. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in Marshall, and more people treating it
47.1% of adults have high blood pressure (Arkansas 41.4%), but 79.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
Marshall is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Marshall is healthier than 3%. Against the 411 towns with similar household incomes ($21K–$35K), it’s healthier than 46%. Health Grade ↓
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 Marshall’s likely range.
What’s behind Marshall’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Marshall is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 21% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Marshall’s median household income is $28,021; among the 411 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($21K–$35K), it’s healthier than 46%, about where its income would put it.
Where Marshall compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 79.7% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Marshall adults…
Marshall runs above AR on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Marshall is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Arkansas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Marshall as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Arkansas
Share of adults, with the Arkansas figure marked.
0.7 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Marshall adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
Care in and near Marshall
1 community health center in Marshall, 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 Marshall; ≈ 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).
How Marshall adults are doing
About the same as Arkansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Marshall 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.
17.3% of Marshall adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Marshall and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall | D− | 40% | 16.9% | 22.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Marshall adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Marshall
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Marshall is better than Arkansas on 1 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Marshall’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Marshall | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 33%28.3–38 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.8%18–23.7 | 15.6% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.1%18.5–23.9 | 18.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40%31.8–48.7 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.9%14.5–19.4 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 47.1%42.6–51.5 | 41.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43%38.4–47.8 | 38% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 36.2%32.4–40 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.3%9.9–12.8 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.1%9–11.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 11.4%10–12.9 | 7.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 14.2%11.9–16.4 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.9%5.1–6.7 | 4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.4%16.9–24.3 | 18.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 22.1%18.6–26 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 40.7%34.1–47.3 | 32.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.9%10.4–15.7 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.9%32.9–47.6 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.7%10.7–17.2 | 11.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79%75.1–82.3 | 79% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 47.3%43.3–51.3 | 54.7% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.5%79.8–85.1 | 84.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.7%77–82.1 | 76.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.9%53.4–64.3 | 61.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.5%59.5–76.6 | 71.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.6%23.7–31.8 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.2%29.7–41.2 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.1%23–31.7 | 27% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.7%19.5–28.5 | 18.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.7%13.1–18.6 | 14.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.1%10.3–14.1 | 10.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.1%10.3–14.2 | 9.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.3%13.9–21.2 | 11.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 48.2%42.4–54.1 | 38.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 25.4%21.9–29 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 23.3%20.2–26.7 | 18.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 12.7%11.1–14.3 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.2%7.9–10.6 | 6.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.7%12.6–17 | 10% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7%6–8.1 | 4.6% | 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 Marshall
Is Marshall a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Marshall is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns: D− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Marshall?
CDC estimates 40% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.8% and 48.7%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Marshall?
Ozark Health in Clinton, 26.6 miles in a straight line from Marshall’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Marshall have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.7–17.2%), 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 Marshall 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 Marshall.
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.