Health · Malvern
Malvern, AR health
Malvern differs from Arkansas on 12 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (7.2% vs 8.2%). Where it trails the state: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (27% vs 18.6%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for MalvernTownTapestry Health GradeNew
D
Malvern’s Health Grade: D
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Malvern is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns, and than 26% of towns with similar incomes.
DSelf-rated healthDPhysical distressDMental distressCObesityC-DiabetesDSmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 8%
Less healthyHealthier
Arkansas towns we grade (217)Healthier than 33%
Towns with similar incomes, $35K–$58K (4,168)Healthier than 26%
Better than its income would suggest. Malvern 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, Malvern 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 Malvern 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. Malvern 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 Malvern 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
39.6% have obesity
1 better8 close3 worse
Habits
36.9% get no exercise
0 better3 close1 worse
Care & screenings
77.5% had a checkup
0 better5 close2 worse
Mind & connection
37.3% feel lonely
0 better4 close1 worse
Everyday needs
25.1% face food insecurity
0 better1 close4 worse
Disability
41.9% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Malvern adults…
44 of every 100 Malvern adults have high blood pressure
Arkansas: 41 in 100 · too close to call · margin 39.9–48.4%
Bars show Malvern; the black tick is Arkansas. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Malvern, betterMalvern, worseToo close to callArkansas
Get no exerciseshare of adults
36.9% Malvern
AR 32.1%
AR 32.1%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
42.9% Malvern
AR 38.1%
AR 38.1%
Binge drinkshare of adults
14.5% Malvern
AR 14.6%
AR 14.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
20.2% Malvern
AR 15.8%
AR 15.8%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Malvern 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 8
working-age adults has no health insurance
Malvern 13.2% · Arkansas 1 in 9 (11.3%)
Mind & connection
How Malvern adults are doing
1 in 3Malvern adults feel lonely
37.3% · Arkansas 34.2% · too close to call
1 in 4Malvern adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.7% · Arkansas 24.6% · too close to call
1 in 3Malvern adults lack social or emotional support
30.3% · Arkansas 27% · too close to call
1 in 5Malvern adults are in frequent mental distress
19.7% · 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
Malvern adults worry about having enough food
25.1% · AR 18.5% · worse
1 in 5
Malvern adults worry about keeping their housing
18.9% · AR 14.4% · worse
1 in 7
Malvern adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
14.4% · AR 10.4% · worse
1 in 8
Malvern adults lack reliable transportation
12.8% · AR 9.7% · worse
17.5% of Malvern adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Disability
Living with a disability
41.9%
of Malvern adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs20%
Thinking or memory20.6%
Hearing8.9%
Errands alone11.8%
Vision7.9%
Dressing or bathing5.9%
Black tick: Arkansas. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Malvern
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Malvern, plus the nearest just outside it.
HNearest ERBaptist Health Medical Center-Hot Springs CountyMalvern · 2.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHealthy ConnectionsMalvern · 0.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.4 mi
Healthy Connections
5 sites · nearest in Malvern
Healthy Connections-MalvernMalvern · 0.4 mi
Healthy Connections- Pinnacle MalvernMalvern · 2.3 mi
Healthy Connections - Haskell ClinicBenton · 13.9 mi
Healthy Connections, Inc. Hot Springs ClinicHot Springs National Park · 14.6 mi
Healthy Connections- Admin OfficeHot Springs National Park · 15.2 mi
2.2 mi
Baptist Health Medical Center-Hot Springs County
Malvern · not rated
14.5 mi
Arcare
3 sites · nearest in Hot Springs National Park
Arcare - 083Hot Springs National Park · 14.5 mi
Arcare - 49Hot Springs National Park · 14.5 mi
Arcare-166Hot Springs National Park · 14.5 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careMalvern's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low Income - Hot Spring County · need score 15 of 25
! Dental careMalvern's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Hot Spring County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthMalvern'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 Malvern. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Malvern
| Measure | Malvern | Margin | Arkansas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 44.1% | 39.9–48.4% | 41.4% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 38.4% | 34.1–42.8% | 38% | about the same |
| Obesity | 39.6% | 32.3–47.4% | 39.3% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 27.7% | 24.6–30.9% | 28.5% | about the same |
| Depression | 22.7% | 19.3–26.3% | 24.6% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 27% | 23.1–31.3% | 18.6% | worse |
| Asthma | 10.6% | 9.3–11.9% | 10.3% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 7.2% | 6.5–7.9% | 8.2% | better |
| Diabetes | 15% | 13.2–17.1% | 13.3% | about the same |
| COPD | 10.1% | 8.9–11.4% | 8.6% | worse |
| Heart disease | 8.4% | 7.6–9.4% | 7.7% | about the same |
| Stroke | 4.8% | 4.4–5.2% | 4% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.2% | 17.3–23.2% | 15.8% | worse |
| Binge drink | 14.5% | 11.8–17.5% | 14.6% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 36.9% | 31.9–42.3% | 32.1% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.9% | 36.3–49.5% | 38.1% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 77.5% | 73.7–81.1% | 79% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 45.6% | 41.6–49.3% | 54.7% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 82.6% | 80.2–84.7% | 84.8% | worse |
| Colon screening | 61.9% | 56.7–66.9% | 61.6% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 67.2% | 58.6–74.9% | 71.4% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 75.8% | 73.1–78.6% | 76.9% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 13.2% | 11.2–15.3% | 11.3% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 37.3% | 32.2–42.5% | 34.2% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 30.3% | 26.4–34.4% | 27% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 19.7% | 17.5–22% | 18.5% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 28.6% | 25.2–32% | 24.4% | worse |
| Frequent physical distress | 17% | 15.1–19.2% | 15.6% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 25.1% | 22.1–28.3% | 18.5% | worse |
| Housing insecurity | 18.9% | 16.5–21.4% | 14.4% | worse |
| Utility shut-off threat | 14.4% | 12.7–16.2% | 10.4% | worse |
| No reliable transportation | 12.8% | 11.3–14.3% | 9.7% | worse |
| Receive SNAP | 17.5% | 15.2–19.9% | 11.6% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.9% | 37.2–46.7% | 38.2% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 20% | 17.7–22.5% | 17.6% | |
| Thinking or memory | 20.6% | 18.2–23% | 18.2% | |
| Hearing | 8.9% | 8–10% | 8.6% | |
| Vision | 7.9% | 7.2–8.7% | 6.2% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 5.9% | 5.4–6.6% | 4.6% | |
| Errands alone | 11.8% | 10.5–13.2% | 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 Malvern door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Arkansas figure falls inside it, we don't call Malvern better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Malvern 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.