Photo: NatalieMaynor · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Pocahontas is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns
Pocahontas trails Arkansas on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Pocahontas. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pocahontas
Pocahontas is in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Pocahontas is healthier than only 2% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
Dental care lags in Pocahontas
44% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 54.7% across Arkansas. Among those 65 and older, 29.8% have lost all their teeth (Arkansas 18.6%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Pocahontas
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (24.9%), vs 18.5% across Arkansas. No reliable transportation (12.9% vs 9.7%) and utility shut-off threats (13.5% vs 10.4%) are higher too. 18.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.6% statewide. 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 Pocahontas’ likely range.
What’s behind Pocahontas’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pocahontas is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns, #112 of 123 in Arkansas. All seven of Pocahontas’ estimates fall in the lowest 13% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is no exercise: 41.3% of adults, against 32.1% across Arkansas and 24.7% nationally.
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). Pocahontas’ median household income is $44,216; among the 3,736 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 8%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Pocahontas adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.5% of Pocahontas adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Out of every 100 Pocahontas adults…
Pocahontas runs above AR on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Pocahontas
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Pocahontas, 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 Pocahontas; ≈ 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.
3.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
How Pocahontas adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Pocahontas runs above Arkansas.
1 in 3 Pocahontas 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.
Pocahontas and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pocahontas | D− | 43.2% | 15.5% | 21.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Pocahontas adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Pocahontas
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pocahontas is better than Arkansas on 0 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Pocahontas’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Pocahontas | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 31.3%27.7–35.1 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.3–22 | 15.6% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.9%19.6–24.5 | 18.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.2%35.4–52.2 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.5%13.5–17.7 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 43.9%39.8–48.6 | 41.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.5%35.3–44.2 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.7%29.5–36.3 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.9–12.7 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9%8.1–9.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.8%8.7–11 | 7.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.2%10.6–13.8 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.1%4.6–5.7 | 4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 29.8%25.8–34 | 18.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.4%18.7–24.5 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 41.3%35.9–47.1 | 32.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.8%11.2–16.8 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.4%33.5–45.3 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.7%11.4–16.2 | 11.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.9%74.2–81.6 | 79% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 44%40.3–47.8 | 54.7% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.9%78.4–83.2 | 84.8% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.1%74.4–79.6 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.4%54.6–63.9 | 61.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.5%59.4–74.8 | 71.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.7%24–32.1 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.4%30.4–41.2 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.2%23.5–31.6 | 27% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 24.9%21.4–28.9 | 18.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.5%15.2–20.2 | 14.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.5%11.8–15.5 | 10.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.9%11.3–14.6 | 9.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.5%15.5–21.7 | 11.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 46.8%42–52 | 38.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.6%19.8–25.4 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 23%20.4–25.7 | 18.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.4%10.1–12.8 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.6%7.7–9.6 | 6.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.2%12.5–15.9 | 10% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 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 Pocahontas
Is Pocahontas a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pocahontas is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns: D− for health, #112 of 123 in Arkansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 8%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Pocahontas?
CDC estimates 43.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.4% and 52.2%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Pocahontas?
Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Walnut Ridge, 13.0 miles in a straight line from Pocahontas’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Pocahontas have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.4–16.2%), 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 Pocahontas more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Pocahontas.
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.