Health Profile of Union County, Arkansas
Union County Health Score
The Map AI Health Index is a score that reflects local life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and physical environment to help you quickly compare the overall health and well-being of different areas.
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C
Union County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Union County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 74.1 | 75.5 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 5.6% | 9.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 22.8% | 22.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Union County is 74.1 years, about 1.4 years shorter than the Arkansas average of 75.5 years. The uninsured rate is 5.6%, lower than the Arkansas average of 9.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by about the same share of residents as in Arkansas, at 22.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
14,166 residents in Union County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 737 276 men · 462 women
- 75–84 2,210 888 men · 1,321 women
- 65–74 3,830 1,783 men · 2,047 women
- 50–64 7,390 3,675 men · 3,715 women
Younger residents
8,575 residents in Union County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,791 1,380 boys · 1,411 girls
- 7–12 2,557 1,321 boys · 1,236 girls
- 3–7 1,853 976 boys · 877 girls
- 0–3 1,375 690 boys · 685 girls
About 3,215 residents in Union County (8.5% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 74.1 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Union County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 14.1% | 13.7% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.8% | 7.1% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.2% | 8.7% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 44.0% | 39.0% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Union County are about the same as in Arkansas.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Union County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 22.2% | 23.3% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 13.2% | 13.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 32.9% | 33.0% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Union County are about the same as in Arkansas.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 64,246 cigarettes a day, 1.9 million a month, or 23.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 706,711 minutes a day and 257.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Union County is 74.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.62 lifetimes a year.
* Source: Shaw M, Mitchell R, Dorling D. "Time for a smoke? One cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes." BMJ. 2000;320:53.
Illustrative only. This is not an estimate of how many people actually die from smoking each day or year - it's a rough, order-of-magnitude comparison meant to help grasp the scale of smoking in this area. We take no responsibility for any decisions made based on this figure.
Air Quality
| Metric | Union County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.82 | 7.47 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.8 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Union County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Union County, AR Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Union County, AR is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 37,897 residents against a local median of 13,828. Union County, AR's uninsured, at 5.6%, runs 19% below the 6.9% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 8.8% on uninsured, so Union County, AR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Union County, AR has the 3rd lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, AR | 37,897 | 74.1 yrs #4/6 | 5.6% #3/6 | 44.0% #5/6 |
| Calhoun County, AR | 4,704 | 74.6 yrs | 4.8% | 37.6% |
| Union Parish, LA | 20,797 | 73.7 yrs | 9.9% | 38.9% |
| Ouachita County, AR | 22,085 | 75.5 yrs | 6.9% | 40.4% |
| Bradley County, AR | 10,208 | 73.3 yrs | 12.5% | 42.8% |
| Claiborne Parish, LA | 13,828 | 75.7 yrs | 3.7% | 46.0% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Union County, Arkansas has an overall health index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Arkansas, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Union County, Arkansas.
What is the health grade for Union County, Arkansas?
Union County, Arkansas has a Map AI Health Index grade of C, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average.
Is Union County, Arkansas one of the healthiest counties in Arkansas?
Union County ranks 49th healthiest out of 75 counties in Arkansas by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the life expectancy in Union County, Arkansas?
People in Union County, Arkansas can expect to live 74.1 years on average, 1.4 years shorter than the Arkansas average of 75.5.
What percentage of Union County, Arkansas residents are uninsured?
5.6% of residents in Union County, Arkansas have no health insurance, about 1 in 18 people, 3.4 points below the Arkansas rate of 9.0%.
How common is obesity in Union County, Arkansas?
44.0% of adults in Union County, Arkansas are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 5.0 points above the Arkansas rate of 39.0%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Union County, Arkansas go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 64,246 cigarettes a day, 1.9 million a month, or 23.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 706,711 minutes a day and 257.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Union County is 74.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.62 lifetimes a year.
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