Whelen Springs, AR is a small rural town located in southwestern Arkansas with a population of around 500 people. The health of the residents of Whelen Springs is an important factor because of the remote location and limited resources available. The two local hospitals in Whelen Springs provide basic medical care for local residents, but specialized care is often not available. Medical facilities in the area include an urgent care center, dental offices, and home health services. Residents also have access to primary care physicians, mental health providers, optometrists, and physical therapists. In addition to these local healthcare services, there are several clinics throughout Arkansas that offer specialized healthcare needs for those living in Whelen Springs. Although there may be difficulty accessing certain types of healthcare due to the lack of resources available, overall Whelen Springs has adequate health care options for its residents.
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 80 physicians per 100,000 population in Whelen Springs. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Whelen Springs area is 83.6 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
83.6 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Whelen Springs area is 100 (100=best). The US average is 55.
100 / 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 Whelen Springs area is 93 (100=best). The US average is 87.
93 / 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 Whelen Springs commutes 21.3 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 Whelen Springs area is 50 (100=best). The US average is 58.
50 / 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.