Photo: Muscogee Red · CC BY-SA 4.0Where Ponca residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Ponca, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 72670. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ponca
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Ponca
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (11.8%), vs 8.2% across Arkansas. 1 in 9 adults have heart disease (10.8%), vs 7.7% across Arkansas. COPD is also above the state: 12%, vs 8.6% across Arkansas. In all, Ponca runs above Arkansas on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Ponca, and more people treating it
49.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Arkansas 41.4%), but 82.1% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
The nearest ER is 20 miles from Ponca
The closest emergency room is North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison, 20.2 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Boston Mountain Rural Health Center is closer (13.1 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Fewer Ponca adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Arkansas. 1 in 9 adults worry about keeping their housing, vs 1 in 7 adults 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 Ponca’s likely range; Ponca’s figures come from ZIP code 72670, which may reach past town lines.
Out of every 100 Ponca adults…
Ponca runs below AR on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ponca adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
Care in and near Ponca
No hospital or community health center in Ponca 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 Ponca; ≈ 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.6% of Ponca adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Arkansas
Share of adults, with the Arkansas figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Ponca adults are doing
About the same as Arkansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Ponca 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.
Ponca and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ponca adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Ponca
Why doesn’t Ponca have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Ponca.
What hospital is closest to Ponca?
North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison, 20.2 miles in a straight line from Ponca’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Ponca.
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. 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.