Photo: SamuelNelsonGISP · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Tarkio is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns
Tarkio differs from Missouri on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Tarkio. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Tarkio
Heart disease, COPD and stroke run high in Tarkio
1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.4%), vs 6.8% across Missouri. 1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.9%), vs 8% across Missouri. Stroke is also above the state: 4.7%, vs 3.6% across Missouri. In all, Tarkio runs above Missouri on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Missouri 18%), and heart disease, COPD and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Tarkio, and more people treating it
43.1% of adults have high blood pressure (Missouri 36.5%), but 81.2% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.2% statewide. Checkups ↓
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 Tarkio’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Tarkio’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tarkio is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 46% of U.S. towns); no exercise 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). Tarkio’s median household income is $56,927; among the 7,998 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$71K), it’s healthier than 25%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Tarkio compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 81.2% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Tarkio adults…
Tarkio runs above MO on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Tarkio is an older town: 25% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Missouri. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Tarkio as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Tarkio adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
Care in and near Tarkio
No hospital or community health center in Tarkio 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 Tarkio; ≈ 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 Missouri
Share of adults, with the Missouri figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Tarkio adults are doing
About the same as Missouri on each measure.
1 in 3 Tarkio 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.
11.1% of Tarkio adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Tarkio and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarkio | C− | 41.4% | 14.7% | 18.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Tarkio adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Tarkio
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Tarkio is better than Missouri on 1 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Missouri figure falls inside Tarkio’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Tarkio | MO | U.S. | vs MO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.7%19.9–27.8 | 20.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.3–19.3 | 14.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15–19.8 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.4%33–49.9 | 36.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.7%12.5–17.1 | 12.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 43.1%38.5–47.7 | 36.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41%36.4–45.7 | 37.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.2%31.3–39.1 | 28.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.4–12.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.2%9.9–12.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.4%8.1–10.8 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.9%9–12.9 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.1–5.4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.1%14.3–20.8 | 15.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.1%14.6–21.8 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 34%28.3–40.4 | 28.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%11.7–17.3 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.4%29.4–43.1 | 36.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%6.7–11.7 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.1%76.6–83.3 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.9%56.4–63.8 | 60.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.8%83.6–87.9 | 84.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.2%78.4–83.9 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.7%57.7–68.4 | 64% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.8%62.8–79.3 | 74.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.2%21.5–29.2 | 24.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32%26.9–37.6 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.5%16.3–23.3 | 20.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.4%10.4–16.7 | 13.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.8%8.7–13.1 | 12.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.1%6.7–9.6 | 9% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.9%6.6–9.4 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.1%8.6–14.1 | 10.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.2%35.9–46.9 | 36.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.2%17–23.6 | 15.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18%15.3–20.9 | 17.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.4%9.9–12.9 | 8.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5–7 | 5.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.6%8.9–12.4 | 9.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4–5.6 | 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 Tarkio
Is Tarkio a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tarkio is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 25%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Tarkio?
CDC estimates 41.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 33% and 49.9%, against 36.6% across Missouri and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Tarkio?
Community Hospital Association in Fairfax, 8.8 miles in a straight line from Tarkio’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Tarkio have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.7–11.7%), 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 Tarkio 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 Tarkio.
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.