Polk County, Missouri is a rural county located in the Ozarks region of the United States. With a population of just over 20,000 people, the health care system in Polk County is limited to local hospitals and medical facilities. The largest hospital in the county is Bolivar Medical Center, which supplies medical services for the entire area. The hospital provides both emergency and general health services to the local community, including primary care, specialty care, mental health and rehabilitation services. In addition there are several smaller clinics throughout Polk County offering a variety of health care services such as physical therapy and dental care. In terms of access to specialized care outside of the county’s borders, Polk County residents can receive treatment at hospitals or clinics in nearby Springfield or Branson. Overall, while there are still some areas with limited access to quality healthcare, Polk County has made great strides towards improving its local health system in recent years.
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 125 physicians per 100,000 population in Polk County. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Polk County area is 100.6 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
100.6 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Polk County area is 73 (100=best). The US average is 55.
73 / 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 Polk County 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 Polk County commutes 24.2 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 Polk County area is 68 (100=best). The US average is 58.
68 / 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.