Health · Tarkio
Tarkio, MO health
Tarkio differs from Missouri on 9 of 40 measures. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (81.2% vs 77.2%). Where it trails the state: more adults with heart disease (9.4% vs 6.8%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for TarkioTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C−
Tarkio’s Health Grade: C−
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Tarkio is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns.
C-Self-rated healthC-Physical distressB-Mental distressDObesityC-DiabetesC-SmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 16%
Less healthyHealthier
Missouri towns we grade (428)Healthier than 38%
Towns with similar incomes, $43K–$71K (7,286)Healthier than 27%
About what its income would suggest. Tarkio does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Tarkio 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 Missouri 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 Tarkio 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. Tarkio 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 Tarkio compares with Missouri
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
41.4% have obesity
0 better5 close7 worse
Habits
34% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
80.1% had a checkup
1 better6 close0 worse
Mind & connection
32% feel lonely
0 better4 close1 worse
Everyday needs
13.4% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
41.2% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Tarkio adults…
43 of every 100 Tarkio adults have high blood pressure
Missouri: 37 in 100 · worse · margin 38.5–47.7%
Bars show Tarkio; the black tick is Missouri. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Tarkio, betterTarkio, worseToo close to callMissouri
Get no exerciseshare of adults
34% Tarkio
MO 28.8%
MO 28.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
35.4% Tarkio
MO 36.5%
MO 36.5%
Binge drinkshare of adults
14.3% Tarkio
MO 16.3%
MO 16.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
18.1% Tarkio
MO 16%
MO 16%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Tarkio adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
Yearly checkup
MO 78%Dentist visit
MO 60%Cholesterol check
MO 85%Colon screening
MO 64%Mammogram
MO 75%Taking BP meds
MO 77%1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Tarkio 8.9% · Missouri 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection
How Tarkio adults are doing
1 in 3Tarkio adults feel lonely
32% · Missouri 31.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Tarkio adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.2% · Missouri 24.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Tarkio adults lack social or emotional support
19.5% · Missouri 20.1% · too close to call
1 in 6Tarkio adults are in frequent mental distress
17.3% · Missouri 17.5% · 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 7
Tarkio adults worry about having enough food
13.4% · MO 13.7% · about the same
1 in 9
Tarkio adults worry about keeping their housing
10.8% · MO 12.1% · about the same
1 in 12
Tarkio adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.1% · MO 9% · about the same
1 in 13
Tarkio adults lack reliable transportation
7.9% · MO 8.4% · about the same
11.1% of Tarkio adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Disability
Living with a disability
41.2%
of Tarkio adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs20.2%
Thinking or memory18%
Hearing11.4%
Errands alone10.6%
Vision5.9%
Dressing or bathing4.8%
Black tick: Missouri. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Tarkio
No hospital or community health center in Tarkio itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERCommunity Hospital AssociationFairfax · 8.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost careNorthwest Health ServicesMound City · 22.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
22.4 mi
Northwest Health Services
6 sites · nearest in Mound City
Mound City ClinicMound City · 22.4 mi
Savannah Medical ClinicSavannah · 44.9 mi
King City ClinicKing City · 52.6 mi
Nhs North End Health CenterSaint Joseph · 53.4 mi
Downtown Health CenterSaint Joseph · 54.6 mi
Northwest Health Services Downtown Health CenterSaint Joseph · 54.7 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careTarkio's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Atchison County · need score 15 of 25
! Dental careTarkio's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Holt/Atchison Counties · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthTarkio's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, St. Joseph MHCA #1 · 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 Tarkio. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Tarkio
| Measure | Tarkio | Margin | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 43.1% | 38.5–47.7% | 36.5% | worse |
| High cholesterol | 41% | 36.4–45.7% | 37.5% | about the same |
| Obesity | 41.4% | 33–49.9% | 36.6% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 35.2% | 31.3–39.1% | 28.8% | worse |
| Depression | 25.2% | 21.5–29.2% | 24.3% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 17.1% | 14.3–20.8% | 15.8% | about the same |
| Asthma | 10.7% | 9.4–12.2% | 10.6% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 11.2% | 9.9–12.4% | 8.6% | worse |
| Diabetes | 14.7% | 12.5–17.1% | 12.1% | worse |
| COPD | 10.9% | 9–12.9% | 8% | worse |
| Heart disease | 9.4% | 8.1–10.8% | 6.8% | worse |
| Stroke | 4.7% | 4.1–5.4% | 3.6% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.1% | 14.6–21.8% | 16% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 14.3% | 11.7–17.3% | 16.3% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 34% | 28.3–40.4% | 28.8% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.4% | 29.4–43.1% | 36.5% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 80.1% | 76.6–83.3% | 78.4% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 59.9% | 56.4–63.8% | 60.4% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 85.8% | 83.6–87.9% | 84.5% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 62.7% | 57.7–68.4% | 64% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 70.8% | 62.8–79.3% | 74.7% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 81.2% | 78.4–83.9% | 77.2% | better |
| No health insurance | 8.9% | 6.7–11.7% | 8.7% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 32% | 26.9–37.6% | 31.7% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 19.5% | 16.3–23.3% | 20.1% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 17.3% | 15–19.8% | 17.5% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 23.7% | 19.9–27.8% | 20.5% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 16.7% | 14.3–19.3% | 14.2% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 13.4% | 10.4–16.7% | 13.7% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 10.8% | 8.7–13.1% | 12.1% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 8.1% | 6.7–9.6% | 9% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 7.9% | 6.6–9.4% | 8.4% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 11.1% | 8.6–14.1% | 10.8% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.2% | 35.9–46.9% | 36.2% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 20.2% | 17–23.6% | 15.8% | |
| Thinking or memory | 18% | 15.3–20.9% | 17.2% | |
| Hearing | 11.4% | 9.9–12.9% | 8.3% | |
| Vision | 5.9% | 5–7% | 5.1% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 4.8% | 4–5.6% | 3.9% | |
| Errands alone | 10.6% | 8.9–12.4% | 9.2% | |
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 Tarkio door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Missouri figure falls inside it, we don't call Tarkio better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Tarkio directly, so these are its own figures.
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Missouri 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.