Health · Gurdon

Gurdon, AR health

Gurdon differs from Arkansas on 9 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (7.2% vs 8.2%). Where it trails the state: more adults facing housing insecurity (19.7% vs 14.4%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Gurdon
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Gurdon’s Health Grade: D

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Gurdon is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns, and than 25% of towns with similar incomes.

DSelf-rated healthC-Physical distressC-Mental distressD-ObesityDDiabetesCSmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 9%
Less healthyHealthier
Arkansas towns we grade (217)Healthier than 37%
Towns with similar incomes, $36K–$59K (4,596)Healthier than 25%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Gurdon could be anywhere from D− to C+.
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 Gurdon 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. Gurdon 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 Gurdon 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 Gurdon adults…

47 of every 100 Gurdon adults have high blood pressure
Arkansas: 41 in 100 · worse · margin 42.9–51.6%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Gurdon, betterGurdon, worseToo close to callArkansas
Get no exerciseshare of adults 36.8% Gurdon
AR 32.1%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 44.3% Gurdon
AR 38.1%
Binge drinkshare of adults 12.6% Gurdon
AR 14.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 17% Gurdon
AR 15.8%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

81%
Yearly checkup
AR 79%
54%
Dentist visit
AR 55%
86%
Cholesterol check
AR 85%
63%
Colon screening
AR 62%
78%
Mammogram
AR 71%
79%
Taking BP meds
AR 77%
1 in 8
working-age adults has no health insurance
Gurdon 13% · Arkansas 1 in 9 (11.3%)
Mind & connection

How Gurdon adults are doing

1 in 3Gurdon adults feel lonely
36.4% · Arkansas 34.2% · too close to call
1 in 4Gurdon adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.6% · Arkansas 24.6% · too close to call
1 in 3Gurdon adults lack social or emotional support
32.2% · Arkansas 27% · worse
1 in 5Gurdon adults are in frequent mental distress
18.8% · 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
Gurdon adults worry about having enough food
24.6% · AR 18.5% · worse
1 in 5
Gurdon adults worry about keeping their housing
19.7% · AR 14.4% · worse
1 in 7
Gurdon adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
14.2% · AR 10.4% · worse
1 in 8
Gurdon adults lack reliable transportation
12.2% · AR 9.7% · worse

16.1% of Gurdon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.

Disability

Living with a disability

40.5%

of Gurdon adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs20.1%
Thinking or memory19.1%
Hearing7.7%
Errands alone11%
Vision7.5%
Dressing or bathing5.6%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Gurdon

No hospital or community health center in Gurdon itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERBaptist Health Medical Center-ArkadelphiaArkadelphia · 14.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyOuachita County Medical Center★★★★★ · 29.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHealthy ConnectionsArkadelphia · 14.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
14.6 mi
Healthy Connections
4 sites · nearest in Arkadelphia
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
14.9 mi
Baptist Health Medical Center-Arkadelphia
Arkadelphia · not rated
ERRural critical access
28.9 mi
Cabun Rural Health Services
4 sites · nearest in Camden
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
29.8 mi
Ouachita County Medical Center
Camden · ★★★★★
ER
31 mi
Southwest Regional Medical Center
Hope · not rated
ER
31 mi
Southwest Regional Medical Center
Hope · not rated
ERRural critical access
! Primary careGurdon's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Clark County · need score 19 of 25
! Dental careGurdon's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Clark County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthGurdon's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.MHCA Hot Spring · need score 18 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 Gurdon. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Gurdon
MeasureGurdonMarginArkansas
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure47.3%42.9–51.6%41.4%worse
High cholesterol38.1%33.7–42.4%38%about the same
Obesity44.7%36.6–52.7%39.3%about the same
Arthritis30.4%26.9–33.7%28.5%about the same
Depression22.6%19.2–26.2%24.6%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)19.7%16.2–23.5%18.6%about the same
Asthma11.1%9.8–12.5%10.3%about the same
Cancer (not skin)7.2%6.4–7.9%8.2%better
Diabetes16.2%14.2–18.4%13.3%worse
COPD8.7%7.5–9.9%8.6%about the same
Heart disease7.8%6.9–8.7%7.7%about the same
Stroke4.7%4.3–5.2%4%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17%14.3–19.9%15.8%about the same
Binge drink12.6%10.1–15.3%14.6%about the same
Get no exercise36.8%31.5–42.2%32.1%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours44.3%37.5–51.4%38.1%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup81.4%78–84.5%79%about the same
Dentist visit53.8%49.8–57.7%54.7%about the same
Cholesterol check85.9%83.9–87.9%84.8%about the same
Colon screening62.6%57.3–67.8%61.6%about the same
Mammogram78%70.8–84.1%71.4%about the same
Taking BP meds79.2%76.5–81.6%76.9%about the same
No health insurance13%10.8–15.4%11.3%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely36.4%31.3–41.9%34.2%about the same
Lack emotional support32.2%28.1–36.7%27%worse
Frequent mental distress18.8%16.6–21.1%18.5%about the same
Fair or poor health27.8%24.2–31.5%24.4%about the same
Frequent physical distress16.7%14.7–18.8%15.6%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity24.6%20.9–28.6%18.5%worse
Housing insecurity19.7%16.9–22.6%14.4%worse
Utility shut-off threat14.2%12.3–16.2%10.4%worse
No reliable transportation12.2%10.6–14%9.7%worse
Receive SNAP16.1%13.3–19.1%11.6%
Disability
Any disability40.5%35.5–45.5%38.2%
Walking or climbing stairs20.1%17.6–22.7%17.6%
Thinking or memory19.1%16.7–21.5%18.2%
Hearing7.7%6.9–8.7%8.6%
Vision7.5%6.7–8.4%6.2%
Dressing or bathing5.6%5–6.3%4.6%
Errands alone11%9.7–12.5%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 Gurdon door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Arkansas figure falls inside it, we don't call Gurdon better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Gurdon 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.

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