Despite having made progress on important health indicators including regular medical check-ups, drug overdose rates, and insurance coverage, Arkansas remains close to last in the nation on many important health measures.
Good health begins in the womb, and Arkansas’ rate of early prenatal care has increased in the past few years, rising from 61% of births in 2016 to 70% of births in 2024. Despite this increase, Arkansas was 43rd in the nation. Rates for all race and ethnicities have increased from 2014 to 2021-23, however rates of early prenatal care among Black women still trail those of White women
In 2020-23, 9.5% of babies born in Arkansas were considered to have low birth weight, 1 percentage point higher than the national rate. Low birth weight was particularly high among Black or African American babies at 16.3%, compared to 9.9% for Asian or Pacific Islanders, 7.9% for Whites and 7.3% for Hispanics.
Arkansas adults are amongst the most inactive in the nation, with 29% saying they did not participate in a leisure-time physical activity in the last 30 days. That was 7 percentage points higher than the national rate, and women were less active (33%) than men (24%). In 2024, 73% of adults, and 40% of students were overweight or obese.
The state had a high smoking rate, with 16% of adults saying they smoke, a decline of 9 points from 2014 but 4 points above the national rate, making Arkansas 49th in the nation. Smoking rates were higher among men (18%) than women (15%); rates were similar among White and Black or African American adults (both at 17%).
In 2024, the drug overdose rate in Arkansas was 1.4 per 10,000 residents, making the state 4th lowest in the nation for this indicator. This rate has decreased from a recent high of 2.1 in 2021. The state’s rate is lower than the national rate of 2.3 per 10,000 residents.
The share of adults having a regular medical checkup increased 9 points from 2014 to 87%, giving Arkansas a relatively high ranking of 24th in the nation. In 2024, 90% of residents had health insurance, up from 84% in 2014 and 3 points below the national rate. Rates increased in 2014 following implementation of the Affordable Care Act and expansion of Medicaid.
Life expectancy in Arkansas was 74 years in 2022, the latest year for which nationwide comparative data is available, down nearly 2 years from 2019 and below the national figure of 78. This makes Arkansas 43rd in the nation on this indicator. Life expectancy was highest for Hispanics and Latinos in 2020, the latest year for which race/ethnicity data was available, at 89 years followed by Asians at 84. Black or African Americans had the lowest life expectancy at 72.
| INDICATORS | TREND | STATE |
|---|---|
| Health: Low Birth Weight Babies | Maintaining |
| Health: Early Prenatal Care | Increasing |
| Health: Overweight or Obese Students | Increasing |
| Health: Overweight or Obese Adults | Increasing |
| Health: Physically Inactive Adults | Decreasing |
| Health: Smoking Rate | Decreasing |
| Health: Insurance Coverage Rates | Increasing |
| Health: Oral Health | Increasing |
| Health: Life Expectancy | Decreasing |
| Health: Routine Check-ups | Increasing |
| Health: Overdose Deaths | Maintaining |
