Health · Alexander

Alexander, AR health

Alexander differs from Arkansas on 14 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (5.2% vs 8.2%) and fewer adults with heart disease (5.2% vs 7.7%). Where it trails the state: more uninsured adults (16.8% vs 11.3%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Alexander

CHealth Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Alexander’s Health Grade: C

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Alexander is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns, and than 54% of towns with similar incomes.

C-Self-rated healthB-Physical distressC-Mental distressCObesityB+DiabetesC+SmokingDExercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 31%

Less healthyHealthier

Arkansas towns we grade (217)Healthier than 76%

Towns with similar incomes, $43K–$72K (7,433)Healthier than 54%

Better than its income would suggest. Alexander is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Alexander could be anywhere from D to B.

How the Health Grade works

Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Arkansas ranking.
Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Alexander with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Alexander uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.

Report card

How Alexander compares with Arkansas

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Alexander adults…

36 of every 100 Alexander adults have high blood pressure

Arkansas: 41 in 100 · better · margin 32.4–39%

Bars show Alexander; the black tick is Arkansas. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Alexander, betterAlexander, worseToo close to callArkansas

Get no exerciseshare of adults 32.6% Alexander
AR 32.1%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 40.5% Alexander
AR 38.1%

Binge drinkshare of adults 16.2% Alexander
AR 14.6%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 15.1% Alexander
AR 15.8%

0%10%20%30%40%50%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Alexander adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.

Yearly checkup

AR 79%

Dentist visit

AR 55%

Cholesterol check

AR 85%

Colon screening

AR 62%

Mammogram

AR 71%

Taking BP meds

AR 77%

1 in 6

working-age adults has no health insurance

Alexander 16.8% · Arkansas 1 in 9 (11.3%)

Mind & connection

How Alexander adults are doing

1 in 3Alexander adults feel lonely

35.8% · Arkansas 34.2% · too close to call

1 in 4Alexander adults have been diagnosed with depression

24.2% · Arkansas 24.6% · too close to call

1 in 4Alexander adults lack social or emotional support

28.2% · Arkansas 27% · too close to call

1 in 5Alexander adults are in frequent mental distress

18.9% · Arkansas 18.5% · too close to call

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 4

Alexander adults worry about having enough food

23.7% · AR 18.5% · worse

1 in 5

Alexander adults worry about keeping their housing

19.7% · AR 14.4% · worse

1 in 7

Alexander adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

13.6% · AR 10.4% · worse

1 in 8

Alexander adults lack reliable transportation

12.1% · AR 9.7% · worse

14.4% of Alexander adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.

Disability

Living with a disability

35.8%

of Alexander adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs14.4%

Thinking or memory18.8%

Hearing6.1%

Errands alone9.5%

Vision6.5%

Dressing or bathing4.3%

Black tick: Arkansas. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Alexander

Alexander and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are the nearest hospitals and community health centers.

34%47.3%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#4 of 8towns on this map, healthiest first

Bryant34%

Alexander38.9%

Little Rock40.5%

Shannon Hills40.7%

Care nearby

Saline Memorial HospitalBenton · 1.8 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Arkansas Heart HospitalLittle Rock · 9 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Chi-St. Vincent InfirmaryLittle Rock · 10.7 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little RockLittle Rock · 10.7 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Healthy Connections- BryantBenton · 3.7 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Arcare-121Benton · 9 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary careAlexander's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Pulaski County · need score 16 of 25

! Dental careAlexander's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Pulaski County · need score 17 of 25

✓ Mental healthAlexander is not a shortage area

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Alexander. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Alexander

Measure	Alexander	Margin	Arkansas
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	35.6%	32.4–39%	41.4%	better
High cholesterol	33.1%	30–36.3%	38%	better
Obesity	38.9%	33.6–44.4%	39.3%	about the same
Arthritis	21.1%	18.9–23.4%	28.5%	better
Depression	24.2%	21.3–27.4%	24.6%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	18.1%	15.6–21.1%	18.6%	about the same
Asthma	10.2%	9.1–11.5%	10.3%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	5.2%	4.8–5.7%	8.2%	better
Diabetes	11%	9.6–12.4%	13.3%	better
COPD	6.1%	5.3–7%	8.6%	better
Heart disease	5.2%	4.7–5.8%	7.7%	better
Stroke	3%	2.7–3.2%	4%	better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	15.1%	12.7–17.5%	15.8%	about the same
Binge drink	16.2%	13.7–18.9%	14.6%	about the same
Get no exercise	32.6%	28.3–37%	32.1%	about the same
Sleep under 7 hours	40.5%	35.2–45.9%	38.1%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	76.3%	72.8–79.4%	79%	about the same
Dentist visit	53.8%	50.5–57.2%	54.7%	about the same
Cholesterol check	82.7%	80.3–85%	84.8%	about the same
Colon screening	57.7%	53.3–62%	61.6%	about the same
Mammogram	75.5%	68.8–81.3%	71.4%	about the same
Taking BP meds	70.4%	67.4–73.3%	76.9%	worse
No health insurance	16.8%	14.1–19.5%	11.3%	worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	35.8%	31.2–40.6%	34.2%	about the same
Lack emotional support	28.2%	24.4–32.1%	27%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	18.9%	16.8–21.1%	18.5%	about the same
Fair or poor health	24.9%	21.9–28%	24.4%	about the same
Frequent physical distress	14.3%	12.6–16%	15.6%	about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	23.7%	20.1–27.3%	18.5%	worse
Housing insecurity	19.7%	16.7–22.6%	14.4%	worse
Utility shut-off threat	13.6%	11.7–15.6%	10.4%	worse
No reliable transportation	12.1%	10.4–13.8%	9.7%	worse
Receive SNAP	14.4%	11.8–17.1%	11.6%
Disability
Any disability	35.8%	31.7–39.9%	38.2%
Walking or climbing stairs	14.4%	12.6–16.3%	17.6%
Thinking or memory	18.8%	16.5–21.2%	18.2%
Hearing	6.1%	5.4–6.8%	8.6%
Vision	6.5%	5.8–7.2%	6.2%
Dressing or bathing	4.3%	3.8–4.8%	4.6%
Errands alone	9.5%	8.3–10.7%	10%

About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Alexander door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Arkansas figure falls inside it, we don't call Alexander better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Alexander directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Arkansas figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.