A new report from the American Lung Association finds that Arkansas has one of the highest rates of new lung cancer cases in the nation.
Lung Health Measures for Arkansas
The 2025 “State of Lung Cancer” report finds that Arkansas’s rate of new lung cancer cases is 68.2 cases per 100,000 people. Arkansas is ranked 47th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia for this measure; in this and all other measures, the No. 1 state has the best rate and the No. 51 state has the worst. Arkansas’s rate of new cases is significantly higher than the national rate of 52.8 cases per 100,000 people. The report’s methodology and data sources are discussed briefly below and, in more detail, in the report.
The report also finds that 16.6% of those at high risk of lung cancer in Arkansas received screenings during the review period, a rate that is not significantly different from the national rate of 18.2%. Arkansas is ranked 33rd for this measure.
Arkansas’s adult smoking rate is 15%, which the report notes is significantly higher than the national rate of 11.4%. The state is ranked 41st for this measure, with West Virginia ranking 51st (20.4%)…