Photo: Brandonrush · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Arkansas, Van Buren is healthier than 48% of graded towns
Van Buren trails Arkansas on 1 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Van Buren. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Van Buren
What’s behind Van Buren’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Van Buren is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns, #65 of 123 in Arkansas. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 39% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 10%).
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). Van Buren’s median household income is $61,149; among the 9,212 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$76K), it’s healthier than 21%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Van Buren adults…
On every condition, Van Buren is about the same as Arkansas. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Van Buren
1 hospital in Van Buren, 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 Van Buren; ≈ 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.
4.9 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Van Buren adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
How Van Buren adults are doing
About the same as Arkansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Van Buren 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.
12.7% of Van Buren adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Van Buren 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren | C− | 38.9% | 12.8% | 17.2% | CDC place |
| Fort Smith | D | 37% | 13.8% | 17.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Van Buren adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Van Buren
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Van Buren is better than Arkansas on 0 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Van Buren’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Van Buren | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.9%23–28.9 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.8–18.7 | 15.6% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.9%17.7–22.2 | 18.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.9%31.7–46.5 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11.1–14.6 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.3%36.2–44.6 | 41.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.4%35.1–43.9 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.2%25.1–31.6 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–12 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.9%7.2–8.7 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.8–8.4 | 7.7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9%8.1–10.1 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.6–4.3 | 4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.8%17.6–24.4 | 18.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.2%15–19.7 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 32.2%27.6–37 | 32.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.9%12.1–18.1 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.2%33.3–45.6 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.2%11.4–15 | 11.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.4%73.5–81 | 79% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.7%48.1–55.3 | 54.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.2%81–85.3 | 84.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.6%71.6–77.4 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.9%55.8–65.9 | 61.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.2%61–76.7 | 71.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.5%22.8–30.6 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35%30–40.2 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.9%24–31.9 | 27% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.6%18–23.4 | 18.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.3%13.3–17.4 | 14.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.7%9.4–12.1 | 10.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.4%9.2–11.7 | 9.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.7%11–14.8 | 11.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.3%36–44.8 | 38.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.1%16.1–20.4 | 17.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.1%18–22.3 | 18.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.7%7.8–9.8 | 8.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.7%6.1–7.3 | 6.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.7%9.6–11.9 | 10% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.4–5.2 | 4.6% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Van Buren
Is Van Buren a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Van Buren is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #65 of 123 in Arkansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 21%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Van Buren?
CDC estimates 38.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.7% and 46.5%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Van Buren?
Baptist Health - Van Buren in Van Buren, 1.3 miles in a straight line from Van Buren’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Van Buren have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.4–15%), 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 Van Buren 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 Van Buren.
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.