Photo: Billy Hathorn · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Benton is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns
On every measure CDC estimates, Benton looks like Louisiana as a whole.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Benton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Benton
What’s behind Benton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Benton is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 23% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 4%).
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). Benton’s median household income is $58,143; among the 8,385 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 10%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Benton adults…
On every condition, Benton is about the same as Louisiana. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Benton
No hospital or community health center in Benton 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 Benton; ≈ 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 Louisiana
Share of adults, with the Louisiana figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Benton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.
How Benton adults are doing
About the same as Louisiana on each measure.
4 in 10 Benton 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.
21.4% of Benton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
Benton and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton | D | 44.3% | 16.2% | 18.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Benton adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Benton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Benton is better than Louisiana on 0 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside Benton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Benton | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.2%23–29.6 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14–17.9 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.7%17.5–22.1 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 44.3%38–50.9 | 40% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.2%14.2–18.2 | 15.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 43.7%39.9–47.7 | 42.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%34–42 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.3%27.2–33.5 | 29.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.5–12.2 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.1%6.4–7.8 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.7–8.4 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.9%7.7–10.1 | 8.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.3–5.2 | 4.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.2%16.7–23.9 | 18.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.8%15.9–21.8 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 34.8%30.1–39.8 | 30.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%13–18.6 | 16.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 45.1%39–50.9 | 40.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.7%7.1–10.4 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.4%79.2–85.2 | 81.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.4%51.4–59.1 | 57.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.3%84.3–88.1 | 86.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.7%77.2–82 | 78.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.9%64.3–73.1 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.7%70.7–83.5 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.6%23.1–30.4 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.4%32.3–42.3 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.9%25.6–34 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 24.5%20.5–28.3 | 22.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.3%15.4–21.1 | 16.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.7%11.7–15.7 | 12.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.1%10.4–13.8 | 11.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.4%17.7–24.9 | 19% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.2%33.8–42.8 | 38% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.6%16.3–21 | 17.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.9%16.7–21.3 | 18.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–8.9 | 8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.2%6.4–8 | 6.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.8%9.5–12.2 | 10.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%4.9–6.1 | 5.1% | 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 Louisiana figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Benton
Is Benton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Benton is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 10%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Benton?
CDC estimates 44.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 38% and 50.9%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Benton?
Willis Knighton Medical Center in Shreveport, 14.4 miles in a straight line from Benton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Benton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–10.4%), against 8.9% across Louisiana.
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 Benton 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 Benton.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Louisiana 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.