Within Arkansas, Salem is healthier than 84% of graded towns
Salem differs from Arkansas on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Salem. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Salem
Salem looks healthier next to Arkansas than next to the country
It’s healthier than 84% of the 123 Arkansas towns we grade, but 57% of towns nationwide. Much of Arkansas scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Salem keeps up with checkups
It beats Arkansas on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (65.4% vs 54.7%) and cholesterol checks (88.5% vs 84.8%). Checkups ↓
Cancer runs high in Salem
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.2%), vs 8.2% across Arkansas. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (Arkansas 18%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Salem adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Arkansas. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 5 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 Salem’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Salem’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Salem is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, #21 of 123 in Arkansas. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 69% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 39%).
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). Salem’s median household income is $73,750; among the 10,820 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$92K), it’s healthier than 68%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Salem adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
Out of every 100 Salem adults…
Salem runs below AR on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Salem is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Arkansas. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Salem as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
5.9% of Salem adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Care in and near Salem
No hospital or community health center in Salem 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 Salem; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
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 Salem adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Salem does better than Arkansas.
1 in 3 Salem 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.
Salem 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Salem adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Salem
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Salem is better than Arkansas on 13 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Salem’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Salem | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20%16.8–23.5 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.3–16.5 | 15.6% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.2–18.5 | 18.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.5%28–39.3 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.2%9.6–12.9 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 40.8%37–44.7 | 41.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.6%36.7–44.4 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.7%26.5–33 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.8–11.3 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.2%9.1–11.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.3–8.3 | 7.7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.5%6.2–8.9 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.1–4 | 4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.2%6.6–10.1 | 18.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.8%11.1–16.8 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.2%22.7–32 | 32.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13.1–18.4 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.1%29.8–40.6 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.7%6.1–9.6 | 11.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.2%77–83 | 79% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.4%62–68.9 | 54.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.5%86.7–90.2 | 84.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.8%75.9–81.4 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.1%62.3–71.5 | 61.6% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.4%70.2–83.4 | 71.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25%21.7–28.6 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.1%26.4–35.9 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.9%19.4–26.8 | 27% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.9%8.7–13.7 | 18.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9%7.4–11 | 14.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.4–7.7 | 10.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.2%5.2–7.3 | 9.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.9%4.6–7.6 | 11.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34%29.5–38.8 | 38.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.3%12.8–18.1 | 17.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.7%12.6–17.1 | 18.2% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.3–9.5 | 8.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.8–5.1 | 6.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%6.7–9.2 | 10% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3–4.1 | 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 Salem
Is Salem a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Salem is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #21 of 123 in Arkansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 68%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Salem?
CDC estimates 33.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 28% and 39.3%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Salem?
Saline Memorial Hospital in Benton, 10.1 miles in a straight line from Salem’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Salem have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–9.6%), 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 Salem more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Salem.
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.