Health · Southside
Southside, AR health
On most measures Southside looks like Arkansas as a whole. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (10.7% vs 8.6%) and more older adults who have lost all their teeth (22.9% vs 18.6%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for SouthsideTownTapestry Health GradeNew
D
Southside’s Health Grade: D
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Southside is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns.
DSelf-rated healthDPhysical distressDMental distressDObesityCDiabetesDSmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 8%
Less healthyHealthier
Arkansas towns we grade (217)Healthier than 32%
Towns with similar incomes, $49K–$82K (9,208)Healthier than 5%
About what its income would suggest. Southside does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Southside 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 Southside 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. Southside 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 Southside 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
42.3% have obesity
0 better9 close3 worse
Habits
37.2% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
78.3% had a checkup
0 better7 close0 worse
Mind & connection
35.2% feel lonely
0 better5 close0 worse
Everyday needs
20.7% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
42.5% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Southside adults…
42 of every 100 Southside adults have high blood pressure
Arkansas: 41 in 100 · too close to call · margin 37.4–45.8%
Bars show Southside; the black tick is Arkansas. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Southside, betterSouthside, worseToo close to callArkansas
Get no exerciseshare of adults
37.2% Southside
AR 32.1%
AR 32.1%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
39.4% Southside
AR 38.1%
AR 38.1%
Binge drinkshare of adults
14.5% Southside
AR 14.6%
AR 14.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
18.8% Southside
AR 15.8%
AR 15.8%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Southside 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
Southside 12.2% · Arkansas 1 in 9 (11.3%)
Mind & connection
How Southside adults are doing
1 in 3Southside adults feel lonely
35.2% · Arkansas 34.2% · too close to call
1 in 4Southside adults have been diagnosed with depression
27.3% · Arkansas 24.6% · too close to call
1 in 4Southside adults lack social or emotional support
27.6% · Arkansas 27% · too close to call
1 in 5Southside adults are in frequent mental distress
20.5% · 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 5
Southside adults worry about having enough food
20.7% · AR 18.5% · about the same
1 in 7
Southside adults worry about keeping their housing
14.7% · AR 14.4% · about the same
1 in 9
Southside adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
11% · AR 10.4% · about the same
1 in 9
Southside adults lack reliable transportation
10.7% · AR 9.7% · about the same
14% of Southside adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.6% across Arkansas.
Disability
Living with a disability
42.5%
of Southside adults live with a disability (Arkansas 38.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs19.9%
Thinking or memory21%
Hearing10.1%
Errands alone11.9%
Vision7.1%
Dressing or bathing5.3%
Black tick: Arkansas. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Southside
No hospital or community health center in Southside itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERWhite River Medical CenterBatesville · 3.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careArcareBatesville · 3.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
3.4 mi
Arcare
8 sites · nearest in Batesville
Arcare - 028Batesville · 3.4 mi
Arcare - 35Batesville · 3.8 mi
Arcare - 48Batesville · 3.9 mi
Arcare - 163Charlotte · 12.7 mi
Arcare - 45Newport · 22.4 mi
Arcare-31Pangburn · 23.8 mi
Arcare - 85Heber Springs · 26.8 mi
Arcare-100Melbourne · 27.5 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careSouthside's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Independence County · need score 16 of 25
! Dental careSouthside's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Independence County · need score 14 of 25
! Mental healthSouthside's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.MHCA- Batesville · 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 Southside. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Southside
| Measure | Southside | Margin | Arkansas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 41.6% | 37.4–45.8% | 41.4% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 40.2% | 35.9–44.5% | 38% | about the same |
| Obesity | 42.3% | 34.6–50.2% | 39.3% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 31.1% | 27.8–34.6% | 28.5% | about the same |
| Depression | 27.3% | 23.4–31.5% | 24.6% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 22.9% | 19.1–26.9% | 18.6% | worse |
| Asthma | 10.9% | 9.6–12.4% | 10.3% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 8.8% | 8–9.7% | 8.2% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 13.7% | 11.9–15.7% | 13.3% | about the same |
| COPD | 10.7% | 9.3–12.3% | 8.6% | worse |
| Heart disease | 8.8% | 7.8–9.8% | 7.7% | worse |
| Stroke | 4.5% | 4–5% | 4% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.8% | 15.8–21.9% | 15.8% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 14.5% | 11.7–17.6% | 14.6% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 37.2% | 31.9–42.9% | 32.1% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.4% | 33.5–45.8% | 38.1% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 78.3% | 74.5–81.8% | 79% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 51.6% | 47.9–55.3% | 54.7% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 82.7% | 80.1–84.9% | 84.8% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 59% | 54.1–64% | 61.6% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 69% | 60.4–76.7% | 71.4% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 77.1% | 74.4–79.6% | 76.9% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 12.2% | 9.8–14.8% | 11.3% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 35.2% | 30.3–41.1% | 34.2% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 27.6% | 23.7–32.3% | 27% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 20.5% | 18.1–23.1% | 18.5% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 27.3% | 23.7–31.2% | 24.4% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 17.7% | 15.6–20.1% | 15.6% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 20.7% | 17.3–24.6% | 18.5% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 14.7% | 12.4–17.3% | 14.4% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 11% | 9.3–12.7% | 10.4% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 10.7% | 9.2–12.4% | 9.7% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 14% | 11.5–16.9% | 11.6% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 42.5% | 37.6–47.8% | 38.2% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 19.9% | 17.5–22.7% | 17.6% | |
| Thinking or memory | 21% | 18.4–23.8% | 18.2% | |
| Hearing | 10.1% | 9–11.3% | 8.6% | |
| Vision | 7.1% | 6.3–8.1% | 6.2% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 5.3% | 4.7–6.1% | 4.6% | |
| Errands alone | 11.9% | 10.4–13.6% | 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 Southside door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Arkansas figure falls inside it, we don't call Southside better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Southside 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.