Health · Bay
Bay, AR health
On most measures Bay looks like Arkansas as a whole. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (9.8% vs 18.6%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for BayTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C−
Bay’s Health Grade: C−
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Bay is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns and 66% of Arkansas towns.
C-Self-rated healthC-Physical distressDMental distressCObesityB-DiabetesC-SmokingC-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 20%
Less healthyHealthier
Arkansas towns we grade (217)Healthier than 66%
Towns with similar incomes, $45K–$75K (8,069)Healthier than 30%
About what its income would suggest. Bay does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Bay 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 Bay 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. Bay 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 Bay 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
38.7% have obesity
1 better11 close0 worse
Habits
32% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
77.3% had a checkup
0 better7 close0 worse
Mind & connection
33.9% feel lonely
0 better5 close0 worse
Everyday needs
16.6% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
38.8% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Bay adults…
40 of every 100 Bay adults have high blood pressure
Arkansas: 41 in 100 · too close to call · margin 36.2–44.4%
Bars show Bay; the black tick is Arkansas. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Bay, betterBay, worseToo close to callArkansas
Get no exerciseshare of adults
32% Bay
AR 32.1%
AR 32.1%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
39.8% Bay
AR 38.1%
AR 38.1%
Binge drinkshare of adults
15.6% Bay
AR 14.6%
AR 14.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
17.9% Bay
AR 15.8%
AR 15.8%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Bay 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 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Bay 10.1% · Arkansas 1 in 9 (11.3%)
Mind & connection
How Bay adults are doing
1 in 3Bay adults feel lonely
33.9% · Arkansas 34.2% · too close to call
1 in 4Bay adults have been diagnosed with depression
28.2% · Arkansas 24.6% · too close to call
1 in 4Bay adults lack social or emotional support
26.8% · Arkansas 27% · too close to call
1 in 5Bay adults are in frequent mental distress
20.1% · 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 6
Bay adults worry about having enough food
16.6% · AR 18.5% · about the same
1 in 8
Bay adults worry about keeping their housing
12.9% · AR 14.4% · about the same
1 in 11
Bay adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.5% · AR 10.4% · about the same
1 in 11
Bay adults lack reliable transportation
9% · AR 9.7% · about the same
10.7% of Bay adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Disability
Living with a disability
38.8%
of Bay adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs17.3%
Thinking or memory19.8%
Hearing8.6%
Errands alone10.3%
Vision5.7%
Dressing or bathing4.3%
Black tick: Arkansas. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Bay
No hospital or community health center in Bay itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERBaptist Memorial Hospital JonesboroJonesboro · 9.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careTruman Family Health CenterTrumann · 5.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
7.3 mi
Arcare
7 sites · nearest in Jonesboro
Arcare - 22Jonesboro · 7.3 mi
Arcare - 65Lake City · 8.1 mi
Arcare - 107Jonesboro · 9.1 mi
Arcare - 160Jonesboro · 10.1 mi
Arcare-59Jonesboro · 10.5 mi
Arcare - 141Jonesboro · 11.4 mi
Arcare - 55Jonesboro · 11.5 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careBay's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Craighead County · need score 17 of 25
! Dental careBay's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Craighead County · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthBay's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Jonesboro Mental Health Catchment Area · need score 17 of 25
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 Bay. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Bay
| Measure | Bay | Margin | Arkansas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 40.2% | 36.2–44.4% | 41.4% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 38.4% | 34.2–42.6% | 38% | about the same |
| Obesity | 38.7% | 32.5–45.4% | 39.3% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 30.4% | 27.2–33.8% | 28.5% | about the same |
| Depression | 28.2% | 24.4–32.3% | 24.6% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 9.8% | 7.9–11.9% | 18.6% | better |
| Asthma | 10.7% | 9.3–12.2% | 10.3% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 8.5% | 7.6–9.5% | 8.2% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 12% | 10.2–14% | 13.3% | about the same |
| COPD | 9.2% | 7.7–10.8% | 8.6% | about the same |
| Heart disease | 7.4% | 6.5–8.5% | 7.7% | about the same |
| Stroke | 3.8% | 3.3–4.3% | 4% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.9% | 14.5–21.4% | 15.8% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 15.6% | 12.9–18.9% | 14.6% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 32% | 26.6–37.6% | 32.1% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.8% | 34.1–45.7% | 38.1% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 77.3% | 73.5–80.8% | 79% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 52.9% | 49.1–56.7% | 54.7% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 83.9% | 81.2–86.6% | 84.8% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 61.9% | 56.7–66.9% | 61.6% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 70.1% | 61.8–77.9% | 71.4% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 75.8% | 72.7–78.7% | 76.9% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 10.1% | 7.7–12.8% | 11.3% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 33.9% | 29.1–39% | 34.2% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 26.8% | 22.7–31% | 27% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 20.1% | 17.5–22.8% | 18.5% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 24.2% | 20.5–28.4% | 24.4% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 16% | 13.8–18.5% | 15.6% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 16.6% | 13.3–20.3% | 18.5% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 12.9% | 10.6–15.5% | 14.4% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 9.5% | 8–11.1% | 10.4% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 9% | 7.5–10.6% | 9.7% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 10.7% | 8.3–13.3% | 11.6% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.8% | 33.7–44% | 38.2% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 17.3% | 14.6–20.1% | 17.6% | |
| Thinking or memory | 19.8% | 16.9–22.9% | 18.2% | |
| Hearing | 8.6% | 7.5–9.8% | 8.6% | |
| Vision | 5.7% | 4.9–6.5% | 6.2% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 4.3% | 3.7–5% | 4.6% | |
| Errands alone | 10.3% | 8.8–12.1% | 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 Bay door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Arkansas figure falls inside it, we don't call Bay better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Bay 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.