Health · Poteau

Poteau, OK health

Poteau differs from Oklahoma on 16 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more adults without reliable transportation (13.2% vs 9.6%) and more adults facing food insecurity (25.4% vs 18.5%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Poteau

DHealth Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Poteau’s Health Grade: D

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Poteau is healthier than 7% of U.S. towns.

DSelf-rated healthDPhysical distressDMental distressC-ObesityC-DiabetesD-SmokingD-Exercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 7%

Less healthyHealthier

Oklahoma towns we grade (237)Healthier than 22%

Towns with similar incomes, $38K–$63K (5,456)Healthier than 15%

About what its income would suggest. Poteau does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Poteau 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 Oklahoma 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 Poteau 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. Poteau 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 Poteau compares with Oklahoma

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 Poteau adults…

41 of every 100 Poteau adults have high blood pressure

Oklahoma: 39 in 100 · too close to call · margin 36.4–44.5%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Poteau, betterPoteau, worseToo close to callOklahoma

Get no exerciseshare of adults 38.6% Poteau
OK 31.1%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 38.1% Poteau
OK 36.8%

Binge drinkshare of adults 13.6% Poteau
OK 14%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 21.9% Poteau
OK 16.3%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

Yearly checkup

OK 78%

Dentist visit

OK 57%

Cholesterol check

OK 84%

Colon screening

OK 60%

Mammogram

OK 70%

Taking BP meds

OK 76%

1 in 7

working-age adults has no health insurance

Poteau 14.6% · Oklahoma 1 in 9 (11.3%)

Mind & connection

How Poteau adults are doing

1 in 3Poteau adults feel lonely

35.4% · Oklahoma 33.1% · too close to call

1 in 4Poteau adults have been diagnosed with depression

27% · Oklahoma 25.5% · too close to call

1 in 4Poteau adults lack social or emotional support

27.2% · Oklahoma 25.2% · too close to call

1 in 5Poteau adults are in frequent mental distress

21% · Oklahoma 18% · worse

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

Poteau adults worry about having enough food

25.4% · OK 18.5% · worse

1 in 6

Poteau adults worry about keeping their housing

17.6% · OK 14.1% · worse

1 in 7

Poteau adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

13.6% · OK 10.3% · worse

1 in 8

Poteau adults lack reliable transportation

13.2% · OK 9.6% · worse

23.3% of Poteau adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.1% across Oklahoma.

Disability

Living with a disability

45.1%

of Poteau adults live with a disability (Oklahoma 38.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs21.3%

Thinking or memory21.7%

Hearing10.8%

Errands alone12.8%

Vision8.3%

Dressing or bathing5.8%

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

Around Poteau

Poteau and the towns around it

Care nearby

Eastern Oklahoma Medical CenterPoteau · 1.5 mi · ★★★★★ · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Baptist Health - Fort SmithFort Smith · 23.8 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Mercy Hospital Fort SmithFort Smith · 24.6 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Choctaw Nation Health Services AuthorityTalihina · 31.9 mi · ER Directions Medicare profile

Hwc - PoteauPoteau · 2.1 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Bonanza Wellness CenterBonanza · 15.6 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary carePoteau's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Le Flore County · need score 18 of 25

! Dental carePoteau's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Le Flore County · need score 17 of 25

! Mental healthPoteau's county is a federal shortage area.MHCA 21 · need score 19 of 25

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Poteau. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Poteau

Measure	Poteau	Margin	Oklahoma
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	40.5%	36.4–44.5%	38.5%	about the same
High cholesterol	39.5%	35.3–43.7%	37.7%	about the same
Obesity	40.3%	32.9–47.7%	38.9%	about the same
Arthritis	29.8%	26.7–32.9%	27.8%	about the same
Depression	27%	23.2–31.1%	25.5%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	20.2%	17–23.7%	16.4%	worse
Asthma	12.7%	11.2–14.3%	11.5%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	7.8%	7.1–8.7%	7.8%	about the same
Diabetes	14.6%	12.7–16.5%	12.8%	about the same
COPD	10.9%	9.6–12.2%	8%	worse
Heart disease	8.8%	7.9–9.7%	7.3%	worse
Stroke	4.6%	4.2–5%	3.7%	worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	21.9%	19–24.9%	16.3%	worse
Binge drink	13.6%	11–16.6%	14%	about the same
Get no exercise	38.6%	33.2–43.6%	31.1%	worse
Sleep under 7 hours	38.1%	32.1–44.2%	36.8%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	77.4%	73.6–80.9%	77.9%	about the same
Dentist visit	49.4%	45.8–53.1%	57.1%	worse
Cholesterol check	80.5%	78.1–82.8%	84.3%	worse
Colon screening	58.6%	53.5–63.7%	59.7%	about the same
Mammogram	64.5%	55.9–72.3%	70.4%	about the same
Taking BP meds	76%	73.4–78.5%	76.3%	about the same
No health insurance	14.6%	12.4–16.9%	11.3%	worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	35.4%	30–41.4%	33.1%	about the same
Lack emotional support	27.2%	23.1–31.6%	25.2%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	21%	18.6–23.4%	18%	worse
Fair or poor health	27.2%	23.8–30.5%	21.2%	worse
Frequent physical distress	17.5%	15.4–19.6%	14.3%	worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	25.4%	21.8–29.1%	18.5%	worse
Housing insecurity	17.6%	15.1–20.4%	14.1%	worse
Utility shut-off threat	13.6%	11.8–15.6%	10.3%	worse
No reliable transportation	13.2%	11.6–15%	9.6%	worse
Receive SNAP	23.3%	19.9–26.9%	15.1%
Disability
Any disability	45.1%	40–49.7%	38.9%
Walking or climbing stairs	21.3%	18.7–23.6%	17.1%
Thinking or memory	21.7%	19.2–24.1%	17.3%
Hearing	10.8%	9.6–12%	9.1%
Vision	8.3%	7.5–9.1%	6%
Dressing or bathing	5.8%	5.2–6.4%	4.3%
Errands alone	12.8%	11.3–14.2%	9.6%

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 Poteau door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Oklahoma figure falls inside it, we don't call Poteau better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Poteau directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Oklahoma 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.