West Fork, AR is a small town situated in the Ozark Mountains in the northwest corner of Arkansas. With a population of just over 3,000 people, West Fork has limited access to healthcare services. The town does have access to two local hospitals – West Haven Medical Center and Mercy Hospital Springdale – as well as other medical facilities like urgent care centers and pharmacies. These health facilities offer general healthcare services and treatments for common illnesses, but more specialized care may require traveling to larger cities or other nearby towns. Access to quality health care is an issue that affects many rural communities like West Fork, but local residents are thankful for the services that are available in their community.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 205 physicians per 100,000 population in West Fork. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the West Fork area is 86.7 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
86.7 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the West Fork area is 56 (100=best). The US average is 55.
56 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the West Fork area is 99 (100=best). The US average is 87.
99 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in West Fork commutes 23.8 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the West Fork area is 66 (100=best). The US average is 58.
66 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.