Health in Arkansas, United States: official figures

Life expectancy at birth in Arkansas was 73.9 years in 2022, 8th shortest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 77.5 years), according to NCHS state life tables.

Life expectancy at birth

73.9 years

2022

Infant deaths per 1,000 live births

8.28

2024

Drug overdose deaths per 100,000

13.9

2024

Suicides per 100,000

19.0

2024

People without health insurance

9.4%

2024

Medicaid and CHIP enrollment

773,838

June 2026

Adults with obesity

38.9%

2024

How long do men and women live in Arkansas?

Women in Arkansas could expect to live 76.6 years and men 71.3 years at 2022 death rates, a gap of 5.3 years (U.S.: 80.2 for women, 74.8 for men).

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

Is life expectancy in Arkansas going up?

Life expectancy in Arkansas was 72.5 years in 2021, so the 2022 figure is up 1.4 years; nationally it rose from 76.4 to 77.5 years.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

How long do people live after 65 in Arkansas?

A 65-year-old in Arkansas could expect to live another 17.0 years in 2022 (18.2 for women, 15.6 for men); 5th shortest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 18.9).

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

What is the infant mortality rate in Arkansas?

293 babies died before their first birthday in Arkansas in 2024, an infant mortality rate of 8.28 per 1,000 live births; 2nd highest among the 50 states and DC. In 2019 the rate was 7.00 (256 deaths).

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

How many people die of drug overdoses in Arkansas?

416 people died of drug overdoses in Arkansas in 2024, an age-adjusted rate of 13.9 per 100,000 people; 4th lowest among the 50 states and DC. The rate was 17.7 in 2023 (516 deaths) and 13.5 in 2019.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

Are overdose deaths falling in Arkansas?

CDC provisional data count about 374 drug overdose deaths in Arkansas in the 12 months to May 2026, up 1.4% on the 12 months to May 2025 (369); nationally the count went from 75,094 to 66,478. These counts are predicted values that allow for deaths still being investigated.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

How many overdose deaths in Arkansas involve fentanyl?

Synthetic opioids other than methadone, mainly fentanyl, were involved in 103 of the 374 reported overdose deaths in Arkansas in the 12 months to May 2026 (28%), and psychostimulants such as methamphetamine in 156 (42%). A death can involve more than one drug.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

How many people die of heart disease in Arkansas?

Heart disease killed 8,532 people in Arkansas in 2024, an age-adjusted rate of 217.1 per 100,000; 5th highest among the 50 states and DC (2019: 226.5).

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

What is the cancer death rate in Arkansas?

Cancer caused 6,588 deaths in Arkansas in 2024, an age-adjusted rate of 161.7 per 100,000; 6th highest among the 50 states and DC (2019: 165.7).

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

What is the suicide rate in Arkansas?

592 people in Arkansas died by suicide in 2024, an age-adjusted rate of 19.0 per 100,000; 14th highest among the 50 states and DC. In 2019 the rate was 18.0 (548 deaths).

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

How many gun deaths are there in Arkansas?

Firearms were involved in 638 deaths in Arkansas in 2024, including suicides, homicides and accidents: an age-adjusted rate of 20.6 per 100,000, 7th highest among the 50 states and DC (2019: 19.3).

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

How many people in Arkansas have no health insurance?

9.4% of people in Arkansas, about 285,000, had no health insurance in 2024; 12th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 8.2%). That is up 0.5 percentage points on 2023 (8.9%), according to the American Community Survey.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many children in Arkansas are uninsured?

7.7% of children under 19 in Arkansas were uninsured in 2024, against 12.9% of adults aged 19 to 64 (U.S.: 6.0% and 11.3%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Arkansas are on Medicaid?

17.9% of residents of Arkansas were covered only by Medicaid or another means-tested public plan in 2024, and 39.2% only by employer-based insurance (U.S.: 14.5% and 45.3%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people are on Medicaid in Arkansas?

773,838 people were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP in Arkansas in June 2026 (preliminary state data reported to CMS), down 5.8% on June 2025 (821,198); across the 50 states and DC the total was 73.17 million.

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · saved copy

How much has Medicaid enrollment in Arkansas changed since the pandemic?

In March 2023, the last month before states resumed removing people who no longer qualified after the pandemic, Arkansas had 1,087,844 Medicaid and CHIP enrollees, so enrollment has fallen 28.9% since then (50 states and DC: down 22.5%).

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · saved copy

How many children are on Medicaid in Arkansas?

Children made up 398,327 of the Medicaid and CHIP enrollees in Arkansas in June 2026 (51%), and adults enrolled in Medicaid numbered 375,511. Arkansas has expanded Medicaid to low-income adults under the Affordable Care Act.

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · saved copy

What is the obesity rate in Arkansas?

38.9% of adults in Arkansas had obesity (a body mass index of 30 or more) in the 2024 CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey; 5th highest among the 49 states and DC with data. In 2015 the figure was 34.5%; the median across the states and DC was 34.2% in 2024.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copy

How many people smoke in Arkansas?

16.5% of adults in Arkansas smoked cigarettes in 2024 (3rd highest among the 49 states and DC with data; state median 11.6%), down from 24.9% in 2015. 10.7% used e-cigarettes.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copy

How many people have diabetes in Arkansas?

15.3% of adults in Arkansas had been told by a doctor they have diabetes, and 24.7% described their health as fair or poor, in 2024; the diabetes share is 4th highest among the 49 states and DC with data (state medians: 12.0% and 18.6%).

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copy

How many people in Arkansas cannot afford to see a doctor?

In 2024, 28.5% of adults in Arkansas said they had done no physical activity or exercise outside work in the past month, and 15.3% said that in the past year they had needed to see a doctor but could not because of the cost (state medians: 21.8% and 11.5%).

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copy

How common is depression in Arkansas?

14.3% of adults in Arkansas reported binge drinking in 2024, and 25.1% had ever been told they have a depressive disorder (state medians: 15.5% and 22.0%).

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copy

How Arkansas compares with other states

Life expectancy at birth (2022)

Arkansas ranks 44 of 51, highest first. NCHS state life tables

Rank	Region	Life expectancy at birth
41	Missouri	75.2 years
42	South Carolina	75.1 years
43	New Mexico	74.5 years
44	Arkansas	73.9 years
45	Tennessee	73.8 years
46	Alabama	73.8 years
47	Louisiana	73.8 years

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

Life expectancy at age 65 (2022)

Arkansas ranks 47 of 51, highest first. Further years of life expected at 65

Rank	Region	Life expectancy at age 65
44	Louisiana	17.5 years
45	Tennessee	17.2 years
46	Alabama	17.1 years
47	Arkansas	17.0 years
48	Kentucky	16.8 years
49	Oklahoma	16.8 years
50	Mississippi	16.7 years

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

Infant deaths per 1,000 live births (2024)

Arkansas ranks 2 of 51, highest first. NCHS Stats of the States

Rank	Region	Infant deaths per 1,000 live births
1	Mississippi	9.65
2	Arkansas	8.28
3	Delaware	7.77
4	Louisiana	7.58
5	South Carolina	7.49
6	Oklahoma	7.42
7	South Dakota	7.34

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted) (2024)

Arkansas ranks 48 of 51, highest first. NCHS Stats of the States

Rank	Region	Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted)
45	Texas	15.8
46	Montana	15.3
47	North Dakota	14.8
48	Arkansas	13.9
49	Iowa	13.7
50	South Dakota	11.9
51	Nebraska	8.1

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

Drug overdose deaths, 12 months to May 2026 (provisional) (2025-2026)

Arkansas ranks 36 of 51, highest first. Predicted provisional counts

Rank	Region	Drug overdose deaths, 12 months to May 2026 (provisional)
33	Utah	646
34	Kansas	462
35	Mississippi	416
36	Arkansas	374
37	Iowa	362
38	Maine	354
39	District of Columbia	318

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

Heart disease deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted) (2024)

Arkansas ranks 5 of 51, highest first. NCHS Stats of the States

Rank	Region	Heart disease deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted)
2	Mississippi	236.5
3	Alabama	223.9
4	Louisiana	220.0
5	Arkansas	217.1
6	Tennessee	210.0
7	West Virginia	205.3
8	Kentucky	196.9

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

Cancer deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted) (2024)

Arkansas ranks 6 of 51, highest first. NCHS Stats of the States

Rank	Region	Cancer deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted)
3	Oklahoma	172.4
4	Mississippi	167.8
5	Tennessee	165.1
6	Arkansas	161.7
7	Missouri	159.7
8	Louisiana	158.3
9	Indiana	156.4

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

Suicides per 100,000 (age-adjusted) (2024)

Arkansas ranks 14 of 51, highest first. NCHS Stats of the States

Rank	Region	Suicides per 100,000 (age-adjusted)
11	Utah	19.5
12	Maine	19.2
13	North Dakota	19.2
14	Arkansas	19.0
15	Arizona	18.9
16	Kentucky	17.9
17	Kansas	17.9

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

Firearm deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted) (2024)

Arkansas ranks 7 of 51, highest first. NCHS Stats of the States

Rank	Region	Firearm deaths per 100,000 (age-adjusted)
4	Alabama	23.7
5	Wyoming	23.4
6	Louisiana	22.9
7	Arkansas	20.6
8	Montana	20.2
9	Tennessee	19.8
10	District of Columbia	19.7

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) · saved copy

People without health insurance (2024)

Arkansas ranks 12 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey, civilian noninstitutionalized population

Rank	Region	People without health insurance
9	New Mexico	10.1%
10	Tennessee	9.7%
11	Mississippi	9.7%
12	Arkansas	9.4%
13	Idaho	9.2%
14	South Carolina	9.0%
15	Montana	8.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Children under 19 without health insurance (2024)

Arkansas ranks 11 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey

Rank	Region	Children under 19 without health insurance
8	Nevada	8.0%
9	South Dakota	8.0%
10	Georgia	7.9%
11	Arkansas	7.7%
12	Montana	7.7%
13	Kansas	7.0%
14	North Dakota	6.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Medicaid and CHIP enrollment, June 2026 (2026-06)

Arkansas ranks 30 of 51, highest first. CMS performance indicator data (preliminary)

Rank	Region	Medicaid and CHIP enrollment, June 2026
27	South Carolina	958,052
28	Alabama	930,919
29	Connecticut	895,290
30	Arkansas	773,838
31	Nevada	711,617
32	Iowa	674,521
33	New Mexico	673,265

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · saved copy

Change in Medicaid and CHIP enrollment since March 2023 (2023-03 to 2026-06)

Arkansas ranks 39 of 51, highest first. March 2023 was the last month of pandemic continuous enrollment

Rank	Region	Change in Medicaid and CHIP enrollment since March 2023
36	West Virginia	-26.6%
37	Georgia	-27.6%
38	South Carolina	-27.6%
39	Arkansas	-28.9%
40	Florida	-29.9%
41	Wyoming	-30.2%
42	Colorado	-30.5%

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · saved copy

Adults with obesity (BMI 30 or more) (2024)

Arkansas ranks 5 of 50, highest first. BRFSS 2024, crude prevalence; Tennessee did not report for 2024

Rank	Region	Adults with obesity (BMI 30 or more)
2	Mississippi	40.4%
3	Louisiana	39.2%
4	Alabama	38.9%
5	Arkansas	38.9%
6	Indiana	38.4%
7	Nebraska	37.6%
8	Kansas	37.6%

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copy

Adults who currently smoke cigarettes (2024)

Arkansas ranks 3 of 50, highest first. BRFSS 2024, crude prevalence

Rank	Region	Adults who currently smoke cigarettes
1	West Virginia	20.8%
2	Kentucky	17.2%
3	Arkansas	16.5%
4	Louisiana	15.0%
5	Alaska	14.7%
6	Missouri	14.7%
7	Maine	14.4%

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copy

Adults ever told they have diabetes (2024)

Arkansas ranks 4 of 50, highest first. BRFSS 2024, crude prevalence

Rank	Region	Adults ever told they have diabetes
1	West Virginia	18.4%
2	Kentucky	16.2%
3	Louisiana	15.4%
4	Arkansas	15.3%
5	Mississippi	15.2%
6	Alabama	15.1%
7	Indiana	14.2%

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copy

More on Arkansas: overview · economy and jobs · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · the United States

Sources

U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Types of health insurance coverage by age (B27010), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 737090000f71…)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present: selected questions, 2015 and 2023-2025, all adults, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7ab093888a27…)
National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): Stats of the States: Cancer mortality by state (National Vital Statistics System via CDC WONDER), map data file, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 16647d000278…)
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: State Medicaid and CHIP Applications, Eligibility Determinations, and Enrollment Data (Performance Indicator data, September 2026 release), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6fc730af4f67…)
National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): Stats of the States: Firearm mortality by state (National Vital Statistics System via CDC WONDER), map data file, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 93f4daddcb09…)
National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): Stats of the States: Heart disease mortality by state (National Vital Statistics System via CDC WONDER), map data file, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 53ffcd80b442…)
National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): Stats of the States: Infant mortality rates by state (National Vital Statistics System via CDC WONDER), map data file, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c8e6ba1c198b…)
National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): U.S. State Life Tables, 2022 (National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 74, No. 12), Tables A, B and C, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c1373546ce89…)
National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): Stats of the States: Drug overdose mortality by state (National Vital Statistics System via CDC WONDER), map data file, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1990aeae39f4…)
National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): Stats of the States: Suicide mortality by state (National Vital Statistics System via CDC WONDER), map data file, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5df6571a02ff…)
National Center for Health Statistics (CDC): VSRR Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts (12-month ending periods, May and December 2019-2026, selected indicators), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 68a227998fc5…)

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