Howard County Health Data
Howard County, Arkansas
CDC County Health RankingsHealth Score
28/100
Below Avg
Life Expectancy
72.4 yr
Uninsured Rate
10.4%
Health Statistics
Life Expectancy
72.4 yr
State avg 72.3 yr
National avg 77.5 yr
Uninsured Rate
10.4%
State avg 9.9%
National avg 9%
Primary Care Providers
47
per 100K population
National avg 82
Mental Health Providers
160
per 100K population
National avg 350
Poor / Fair Health
23.5%
State avg 25.3%
National avg 19.6%
Healthcare Access
Primary Care Physicians
15.7
per 100K residentsCDC: 47.3 per 100K
Provider counts from CMS NPPES (National Provider Identifier Registry). Data current as of 2026.
Chronic Disease & Behavioral Health
These prevalence estimates come from the CDC PLACES program (Population-Level Analysis and Community Estimates), which combines BRFSS survey data with statistical modeling to produce county-level rates. Estimates are age-adjusted to enable fair comparisons across counties with different age distributions. Use them to spot where Howard County differs most from state and national norms.
Most prevalent chronic conditions
| Measure | Howard | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity | 39.7% | 41.1% | 37.6% | 1.4 pts better than state |
| Diabetes | 12.5% | 12.4% | 11.2% | near state average |
| High Blood Pressure | 39.0% | 39.6% | 33.5% | 0.6 pts better than state |
| Depression | 25.5% | 25.9% | 24.1% | near state average |
Health-risk behaviors
| Measure | Howard | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Cigarette Smoking | 17.6% | 18.7% | 16.3% | 1.1 pts better than state |
| Binge Drinking | 15.4% | 15.6% | 17.8% | near state average |
| Physical Inactivity | 34.4% | 34.3% | 27.0% | near state average |
Preventive-care uptake
| Measure | Howard | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Routine Checkup | 77.2% | 77.0% | 74.9% | near state average |
| Dental Visit (past year) | 53.0% | 49.6% | 57.3% | 3.4 pts better than state |
| Mammography (women 50–74) | 71.7% | 70.1% | 73.3% | 1.6 pts better than state |
Daily-life impact
| Measure | Howard | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent Mental Distress | 20.5% | 20.7% | 18.6% | near state average |
| Short Sleep Duration | 41.8% | 41.1% | 37.3% | 0.7 pts worse than state |
These rates are part of the CDC PLACES survey. Compare Howard County nationally on dental visit (past year).
Source: CDC PLACES, 2023 release · age-adjusted prevalence (%). Confidence intervals are available on individual rankings pages.
Data Story
Howard County Uninsured Rate Higher than State Benchmark
Health data brief for Howard County, Arkansas.
Howard County’s uninsured rate is 10.4%, which is higher than the Arkansas average of 9.9% and the national average of 10%. Life expectancy in the county is 72.4 years, which closely aligns with the state average of 72.3 years but is lower than the national average of 77 years. For clinical care, the county has 47 primary care providers and 160 mental health providers per 100,000 residents, both of which are lower than the national medians of 70 and 250 per 100,000 respectively. Approximately 23.5% of residents report poor or fair health, a rate that is higher than the 17% reported nationally. This summary provides a journalistic review of existing health data and does not provide medical guidance or identify specific causes for these metrics. See the CDC County Health Rankings methodology.
Sources
- CDC County Health Rankings v2
- HHS NPPES
Get Care in Howard County, Arkansas
Direct contact information for hospitals and community health resources serving this county. Hospital quality ratings come from CMS Care Compare — the federal program that measures hospital performance on safety, patient experience, and outcomes.
Hospitals near you
Compare all on Medicare.gov →Howard Memorial Hospital
EReHealth Insurance
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Data Sources
Health data sourced from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
Data is informational only. Not medical or health advice. Coverage varies by county and reporting year.