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Forrest City, AR Health Statistics

52.9% of adults have obesity and 21.3% have diabetes, among about 13,015 residents.

Obesity
52.9%
#10 of 586 · +19.6 pts
Diabetes
21.3%
#36 of 586 · +9.2 pts
Smoking
26.3%
+13.5 pts
Uninsured (18-64)
17.1%
+6.0 pts

How it compares

Largest differences from the U.S. average

Higher than the U.S.

  • Utility shutoff threat26.7% vs 8.0%
  • Received SNAP36.0% vs 12.8%
  • Tooth loss (65+)33.9% vs 12.6%

Lower than the U.S.

  • Cancer5.4% vs 7.7%
  • Binge drinking12.1% vs 15.9%

All health measures

Forrest City, AR compared with Arkansas and the U.S.

Health outcomes

Adults withHereARU.S.
Obesity52.9%+19.6 pts39.3%33.3%
Diagnosed diabetes21.3%+9.2 pts13.3%12.1%
High blood pressure53.2%+18.8 pts41.4%34.4%
High cholesterol (among those screened)35.9%-0.5 pts37.9%36.4%
Coronary heart disease9.2%+2.9 pts7.7%6.3%
Stroke6.2%+2.8 pts4.0%3.4%
Current asthma11.6%+1.4 pts10.3%10.2%
COPD11.7%+5.2 pts8.6%6.5%
Cancer (excluding skin cancer)5.4%-2.3 pts8.2%7.7%
Arthritis29.8%+4.6 pts28.5%25.2%
Depression21.0%-0.6 pts24.6%21.6%
All teeth lost (age 65+)33.9%+21.3 pts18.6%12.6%

Health behaviors

Adults withHereARU.S.
Current smoking26.3%+13.5 pts15.8%12.8%
Binge drinking12.1%-3.8 pts14.6%15.9%
No leisure-time physical activity46.6%+21.4 pts32.1%25.2%
Short sleep (under 7 hours)50.1%+14.0 pts38.1%36.1%

Prevention

Adults withHereARU.S.
No health insurance (age 18 to 64)17.1%+6.0 pts11.3%11.1%
Routine checkup in the past year80.1%+3.3 pts79.0%76.8%
Dental visit in the past year37.8%-23.9 pts54.8%61.7%
Taking blood pressure medicine (if high)77.6%+2.1 pts76.8%75.5%
Cholesterol screening81.7%-4.5 pts84.8%86.2%
Colorectal cancer screening (age 45 to 75)54.5%-9.2 pts61.6%63.7%
Mammogram in the past 2 years (women 50 to 74)75.0%-1.1 pts71.4%76.1%

Health status

Adults withHereARU.S.
Fair or poor general health37.9%+18.1 pts24.4%19.8%
Frequent mental distress21.3%+4.8 pts18.5%16.5%
Frequent physical distress19.5%+6.2 pts15.6%13.3%

Disability

Adults withHereARU.S.
Any disability47.1%+16.7 pts38.1%30.4%
Mobility disability25.7%+11.9 pts17.6%13.8%
Cognitive disability23.6%+9.3 pts18.1%14.3%
Hearing disability8.1%+1.3 pts8.6%6.8%
Vision disability12.0%+6.7 pts6.2%5.3%
Self-care disability9.3%+5.5 pts4.6%3.8%
Independent living disability15.5%+7.4 pts10.0%8.1%

Social needs

Adults withHereARU.S.
Lack of social and emotional support36.4%+11.8 pts27.0%24.6%
Food insecurity in the past year42.3%+26.4 pts18.5%15.9%
Received SNAP (food stamps) in the past year36.0%+23.2 pts11.6%12.8%
Housing insecurity in the past year31.5%+18.5 pts14.4%13.0%
Threat of utility shutoff in the past year26.7%+18.7 pts10.4%8.0%
Lack of reliable transportation21.1%+12.6 pts9.7%8.5%

Share of adults (18 and older unless noted), crude prevalence. Differences are compared with the U.S.; green is better than the national rate, red is worse. These are model-based estimates, not counts.

Frequently asked questions

What is the obesity rate in Forrest City, AR?
About 52.9% of adults in Forrest City, AR have obesity, compared with 39.3% in Arkansas and 33.3% nationwide. That ranks #10 of 586 cities and towns in Arkansas.
How common is diabetes in Forrest City, AR?
About 21.3% of adults have diagnosed diabetes (Arkansas 13.3%, U.S. 12.1%).
What share of adults smoke in Forrest City, AR?
About 26.3% of adults currently smoke cigarettes, compared with 12.8% nationwide.
How accurate are these numbers?
They are CDC model-based estimates built from national survey data and local population data, not counts from local health records. Small areas have wider margins of error.

Source: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health · Last updated 12/01/2025 · 2025 release. Share of adults, crude prevalence.