How healthy is Pencil Bluff?
Pencil Bluff differs from Arkansas on 13 of 40 measures. It has fewer binge drinkers (11.4% vs 14.6%) and more adults treating high blood pressure (82.7% vs 76.9%). Where it trails the state: more adults with COPD (13.7% vs 8.6%).
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Pencil Bluff. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pencil Bluff
Read from the numbers below. The page puts what stands out first.
Care in and near Pencil Bluff
No hospital or community health center in Pencil Bluff itself. These are the nearest.
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 Pencil Bluff; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Out of every 100 Pencil Bluff adults…
Pencil Bluff runs above AR on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Arkansas
Share of adults, with the Arkansas figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Pencil Bluff adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arkansas.
How Pencil Bluff adults are doing
About the same as Arkansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Pencil Bluff adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15% of Pencil Bluff adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Pencil Bluff adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Not graded
Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 51 people are less certain, so we show Pencil Bluff's figures without a grade.
All 40 CDC measures for Pencil Bluff
| Measure | Pencil Bluff | Likely range | Arkansas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 48.1% | 43.2–53.2% | 41.4% | worse |
| High cholesterol | 46.3% | 41.3–51.4% | 38% | worse |
| Obesity | 44.4% | 35.5–53.6% | 39.3% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 39.4% | 35–43.8% | 28.5% | worse |
| Depression | 28.6% | 24.3–33.1% | 24.6% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 17.6% | 14.7–21.3% | 18.6% | about the same |
| Asthma | 11.8% | 10.3–13.5% | 10.3% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 10.8% | 9.5–12.2% | 8.2% | worse |
| Diabetes | 17.6% | 14.8–20.6% | 13.3% | worse |
| COPD | 13.7% | 10.8–17.1% | 8.6% | worse |
| Heart disease | 10.2% | 8.6–11.9% | 7.7% | worse |
| Stroke | 5.4% | 4.5–6.5% | 4% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.1% | 14.9–25.4% | 15.8% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 11.4% | 9.1–14% | 14.6% | better |
| Get no exercise | 37.9% | 30.6–45.4% | 32.1% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.9% | 33.8–48.7% | 38.1% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 82.5% | 79.1–85.7% | 79% | better |
| Dentist visit | 51.8% | 47.7–55.9% | 54.7% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 88.2% | 85.7–90.5% | 84.8% | better |
| Colon screening | 66.6% | 61.1–72% | 61.6% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 68.6% | 59.6–77% | 71.4% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 82.7% | 79.7–85.4% | 76.9% | better |
| No health insurance | 10.5% | 7.5–14.4% | 11.3% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 32.5% | 26.8–38.1% | 34.2% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 23.5% | 19.2–28.1% | 27% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 19.5% | 16.4–22.5% | 18.5% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 30% | 24.2–36.1% | 24.4% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 20.5% | 17–24.2% | 15.6% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 20.5% | 14.4–26.5% | 18.5% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 13.7% | 10.3–17.1% | 14.4% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 10.6% | 8.3–13% | 10.4% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 9.8% | 7.6–12% | 9.7% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 15% | 10.1–20% | 11.6% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 44.4% | 37.7–51.2% | 38.2% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 24.9% | 20.1–29.9% | 17.6% | |
| Thinking or memory | 19.5% | 15.8–23.7% | 18.2% | |
| Hearing | 10.4% | 8.9–12% | 8.6% | |
| Vision | 8% | 6.4–9.8% | 6.2% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 6.5% | 5.2–8.2% | 4.6% | |
| Errands alone | 12.4% | 9.8–15.2% | 10% | |
How CDC estimates town health
CDC combines a large national health survey with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Pencil Bluff door to door.
Every figure has a likely range. When the Arkansas figure falls inside it, we don’t call Pencil Bluff better or worse.
CDC publishes Pencil Bluff directly, so these are its own figures.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Pencil Bluff.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Arkansas figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.