Photo: Photolitherland Chris Litherland · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Walnut Ridge is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns
Walnut Ridge trails Arkansas on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Walnut Ridge. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Walnut Ridge
Walnut Ridge looks healthier next to Arkansas than next to the country
It’s healthier than 35% of the 123 Arkansas towns we grade, but 9% of towns nationwide. Much of Arkansas scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
COPD and heart disease run high in Walnut Ridge
1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.8%), vs 8.6% across Arkansas. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9%), vs 7.7% across Arkansas. Conditions ↓
Walnut Ridge is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Walnut Ridge is healthier than 9%. Against the 4,011 towns with similar household incomes ($34K–$56K), it’s healthier than 32%. 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 Walnut Ridge’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Walnut Ridge’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Walnut Ridge is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns, #79 of 123 in Arkansas. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 28% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 7%).
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). Walnut Ridge’s median household income is $45,027; among the 4,011 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($34K–$56K), it’s healthier than 32%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Few Arkansas towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Walnut Ridge is healthier than 35% of graded towns, against 9% nationally.
Out of every 100 Walnut Ridge adults…
Walnut Ridge runs above AR on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Walnut Ridge
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Walnut Ridge, 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 Walnut Ridge; ≈ 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.
6.9 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Walnut Ridge adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
How Walnut Ridge adults are doing
About the same as Arkansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Walnut Ridge 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.
12.6% of Walnut Ridge adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Walnut Ridge and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walnut Ridge | D | 42.2% | 13.6% | 17.9% | CDC place |
| Hoxie | D− | 46.8% | 15.7% | 24.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Walnut Ridge adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Walnut Ridge
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Walnut Ridge is better than Arkansas on 0 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Arkansas figure falls inside Walnut Ridge’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Walnut Ridge | AR | U.S. | vs AR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.1%23–31.2 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15.1–19.9 | 15.6% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.4%17.8–23 | 18.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.2%33.9–50.9 | 39.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.6%11.7–15.7 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 42.1%37.7–46.5 | 41.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.4%35–43.7 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31%27.5–34.5 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.4–12.3 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.3%8.3–10.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%7.9–10.2 | 7.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.8%9–12.6 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4–5.2 | 4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 32.5%27.3–37.5 | 18.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.9%14.8–21.3 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 34.9%29.2–40.7 | 32.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%11.9–17.8 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38%31–44.8 | 38.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.5%8.9–14.4 | 11.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.4%74.6–82 | 79% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.8%47.6–55.5 | 54.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82%79.3–84.6 | 84.8% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.9%74.2–79.4 | 76.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.8%57.5–67.6 | 61.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.9%61.8–78.4 | 71.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.3%23.2–31.3 | 24.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35%29.8–41 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26%22–30.4 | 27% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.1%15.4–23.1 | 18.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.6%11.4–16.3 | 14.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.2%8.7–12 | 10.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.4%8.8–12.2 | 9.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.6%9.9–15.8 | 11.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 42.6%37.2–47.9 | 38.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20%17–23 | 17.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.9%18.1–24 | 18.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.4%9.1–11.7 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.1%6.1–8.1 | 6.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12%10.2–13.9 | 10% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%4.5–6.1 | 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 Walnut Ridge
Is Walnut Ridge a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Walnut Ridge is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns: D for health, #79 of 123 in Arkansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 32%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Walnut Ridge?
CDC estimates 42.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.9% and 50.9%, against 39.3% across Arkansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Walnut Ridge?
Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Walnut Ridge, 1.3 miles in a straight line from Walnut Ridge’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Walnut Ridge have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.9–14.4%), 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 Walnut Ridge 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 Walnut Ridge.
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.