On CDC estimates, Salem Township is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns
Salem Township trails Missouri on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 63876, 63821, 63857. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Salem Township
More Salem Township adults get no exercise
44.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 28.8% across Missouri. Habits ↓
Salem Township is in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Salem Township is healthier than only 2% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
Dental care lags in Salem Township
46.9% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 60.4% across Missouri. Among those 65 and older, 27.3% have lost all their teeth (Missouri 15.8%). Checkups ↓
More Salem Township adults live with a disability
1 in 2 adults live with a disability (47.9%, vs 36.2% across Missouri). The biggest difference is vision loss: 8.6% vs 5.1%. Disability ↓
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 Missouri figure falls outside Salem Township’s likely range; Salem Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 63876, 63821, 63857, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Salem Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Salem Township is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns. All seven of Salem Township’s estimates fall in the lowest 9% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is no exercise: 44.7% of adults, against 28.8% across Missouri and 24.7% nationally.
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 Township’s median household income is $40,352; among the 2,490 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($30K–$50K), it’s healthier than 8%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Everyday habits, side by side with Missouri
Share of adults, with the Missouri figure marked.
8.8 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Salem Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Salem Township adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Out of every 100 Salem Township adults…
Salem Township runs above MO on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Salem Township
No hospital or community health center in Salem Township 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 Township; ≈ 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).
How Salem Township adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Salem Township runs above Missouri.
1 in 3 Salem Township 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.
21.1% of Salem Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Salem Township and the towns around it
Salem Township’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 4 graded towns around it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem Township | D− | 47.1% | 16.4% | 24.3% | ZIP codes |
| Independence Township | D− | 46.2% | 15.9% | 22.4% | ZIP codes |
| Clay Township | D− | 45.4% | 16.1% | 22.2% | ZIP codes |
| Buffalo Township | D− | 47.8% | 17.6% | 26.3% | ZIP codes |
| Arbyrd | — | — | — | — |
Arbyrd: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Every CDC estimate for Salem Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Salem Township is better than Missouri on 0 and worse on 21; on the rest, the Missouri figure falls inside Salem Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Salem Township | MO | U.S. | vs MO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 32%28.2–36 | 20.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.2%17.9–22.7 | 14.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.3%18–22.7 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 47.1%39.9–54.2 | 36.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 16.4%14.3–18.5 | 12.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 43.3%39.1–47.3 | 36.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.3%36–44.4 | 37.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.5%30.1–36.9 | 28.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.7–12.5 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.5–9.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.4%8.4–10.5 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.6%11–14.3 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5%4.5–5.5 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 27.3%23.2–31.6 | 15.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 24.3%21.1–27.8 | 16% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 44.7%39.4–50.2 | 28.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14%11.5–16.7 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.6%33.7–45.8 | 36.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 16.9%14.3–19.8 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.7%72.8–80.1 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 46.9%43.3–50.8 | 60.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.5%78–82.7 | 84.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%74.7–80.2 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.3%50.1–60.5 | 64% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.4%58.8–75.3 | 74.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.4%22.7–30.3 | 24.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.2%30.8–40.1 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.7%19.5–26.2 | 20.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 24.6%21.1–28.5 | 13.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.7%16.3–21.5 | 12.1% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.4%11.7–15.2 | 9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13%11.5–14.8 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.1%18–24.5 | 10.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 47.9%43–52.9 | 36.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 23.9%21.1–26.9 | 15.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 23.6%21–26.5 | 17.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11%9.8–12.3 | 8.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.6%7.7–9.6 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.6%12–15.3 | 9.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.5%5.8–7.4 | 3.9% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Missouri figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Salem Township
Is Salem Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Salem Township is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 8%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Salem Township?
CDC estimates 47.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 39.9% and 54.2%, against 36.6% across Missouri and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Salem Township?
Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould, 17.9 miles in a straight line from Salem Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Salem Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 16.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.3–19.8%), against 8.7% across Missouri.
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 Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Salem Township.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Missouri 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.