📊 Overall Health Rankings

According to America’s Health Rankings 2024, Arkansas ranks 48th in overall health among U.S. states for the fourth consecutive year. Arkansas’s 2024 population reached approximately 3.09 million, showing steady but modest growth of 0.64% annually since 2000.

Arkansas continues to face significant health challenges, with the state having the 7th highest age-adjusted mortality rate nationally. The state’s average life expectancy of 72.5 years remains among the lowest in the nation, approximately 3.2 years below the national average.

🚨 Chronic Disease Crisis

Arkansas faces severe challenges with chronic diseases, ranking in the top 10 nationally for multiple conditions. The state has the 3rd highest rates for both heart disease (231 per 100,000) and diabetes (30 per 100,000), reflecting significant lifestyle and health access challenges.

Arkansas adults have the country’s 3rd highest smoking rate and obesity rates of approximately 37%, contributing to the state’s high rates of chronic respiratory diseases (4th highest nationally) and cardiovascular mortality.

👶 Maternal and Infant Health

Arkansas continues to struggle with maternal and infant health outcomes. The state’s infant mortality rate was 7.3 per 1,000 live births in 2020, ranking 47th nationally alongside Alabama. However, this represents an improvement from previous years when Arkansas was consistently in the top three states for highest infant mortality.

Regional disparities exist, with the Delta region showing infant mortality rates of 8.2 per 1,000 compared to 7.2 in urban areas. Racial disparities are also significant, with African American infant mortality rates reaching 11.8 per 1,000 births compared to 6.0 for both white and Latino populations.

💊 Drug Overdoses – Major Victory

Arkansas achieved one of the most significant improvements in drug overdose mortality in 2024, with deaths falling by 26% to just 388 deaths – the lowest level since 2019. This represents a dramatic decline from 538 deaths in 2023, saving approximately 150 lives.

This improvement is attributed to:

• Increased availability of naloxone (Narcan), now available over-the-counter
• Expanded treatment programs and buprenorphine providers
• Fentanyl test strips widely distributed
• $70 million National Center for Opioid Research at Arkansas Children’s Hospital
• $50 million in opioid settlement funds directed to treatment programs

🚗 Accident Mortality – Below National Average

Among the leading causes of death nationally, Arkansas maintains a rate below the national average for accidental deaths. The state’s rate of accidental deaths due to falls is the 6th lowest in the nation, reflecting effective injury prevention efforts.

⚠️ Life Insurance Considerations

For these reasons, we at IBUSA typically try to help Arkansas applicants first qualify for term life insurance with no exam.

For those unable to qualify for such policies, life insurance with a top company requiring a medical exam remains viable.

Some people with pre-existing conditions may need to consider final expense insurance as an alternative.

🔫 Violence and Mental Health

Arkansas’s homicide rate has increased dramatically, rising from 7.6 per 100,000 in 2011-2012 to 11.2 per 100,000 in 2021-2022 – a 47% increase. The state now ranks 9th nationally for homicide rates.

Mental health challenges are also growing, with the percentage of adults reporting frequent mental distress increasing by 35% between 2014 (14%) and 2023 (18.9%). This trend correlates with the state’s elevated suicide rate of 18 per 100,000.

🏥 COVID-19 Update

While COVID-19 significantly impacted Arkansas mortality during 2020-2022, it has since dropped out of the top 10 causes of death by 2024. Arkansas experienced one of the most severe per-capita COVID-19 death rates during the pandemic peak, but effective public health measures have dramatically reduced its impact on overall mortality.

⚡ Workplace Safety

Arkansas’s economy, with significant agriculture, poultry processing, and timber industries, faces ongoing occupational safety challenges. However, the state maintains relatively moderate workplace fatality rates compared to more industrial states.

Given the elevated accidental death risks in certain industries, we often recommend clients consider purchasing additional accidental death policies to supplement traditional life insurance coverage.

Arkansas Health Improvement Plan

Arkansas has implemented several initiatives to address its health challenges:

• Medicaid expansion under the Arkansas Works program
• Focus on rural healthcare access improvements
• Tobacco cessation programs targeting the state’s high smoking rates
• Obesity prevention initiatives in schools and communities
• Mental health services expansion
• Maternal and infant health improvement programs

Arkansas continues to face significant challenges with:

• High poverty rates affecting health access, particularly in rural areas
• Obesity rates of approximately 37% of adults
• Smoking rates of 24%, well above the national average
• Chronic disease management challenges
• Healthcare provider shortages in rural regions
• Persistent racial and geographic health disparities

Despite these challenges, Arkansas has shown remarkable progress in reducing drug overdose deaths and maintaining below-average accident mortality rates, offering hope for continued health improvements with sustained public health efforts.

Data Sources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, 2023-2024

America’s Health Rankings, United Health Foundation, 2024 Annual Report

Arkansas Department of Health, Vital Statistics Reports, 2023-2024

U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, 2024

Arkansas Children’s Hospital Institute and the Center for Health Innovation, 2024

CDC Vital Statistics Rapid Release – Provisional Drug Overdose Data, 2024

Commonwealth Fund State Health System Performance Rankings, 2025

County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, 2024

Arkansas State Data Center, Population and Health Demographics, 2024

World Population Review, State Health Rankings, 2024-2025