Health Profile of Clay County, Kentucky
Clay County Health Score
The Map AI Health Index is a score that reflects local life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and physical environment to help you quickly compare the overall health and well-being of different areas.
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D
Clay County Well below averageLeast healthy county in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Clay County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 72.4 | 75.0 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 5.2% | 6.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 31.2% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Clay County is 72.4 years, about 2.6 years shorter than the Kentucky average of 75.0 years. The uninsured rate is 5.2%, lower than the Kentucky average of 6.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 31.2% of residents, higher than the Kentucky average of 23.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
6,884 residents in Clay County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 284 89 men · 195 women
- 75–84 804 340 men · 464 women
- 65–74 1,865 862 men · 1,004 women
- 50–64 3,932 2,015 men · 1,917 women
Younger residents
4,006 residents in Clay County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,316 690 boys · 626 girls
- 7–12 1,143 591 boys · 552 girls
- 3–7 856 433 boys · 423 girls
- 0–3 690 350 boys · 340 girls
About 1,494 residents in Clay County (7.5% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 72.4 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Clay County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 15.1% | 13.0% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.2% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 9.7% | 8.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 43.9% | 39.7% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Clay County is about 17% higher than in Kentucky. The rate of diabetes in Clay County is about 16% higher than in Kentucky.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Clay County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 34.6% | 26.0% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.7% | 15.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 40.8% | 34.0% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Clay County is about 33% higher than in Kentucky. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Clay County is about 20% higher than in Kentucky.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 54,702 cigarettes a day, 1.6 million a month, or 20.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 601,719 minutes a day and 219.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Clay County is 72.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 5.77 lifetimes a year.
* Source: Shaw M, Mitchell R, Dorling D. "Time for a smoke? One cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes." BMJ. 2000;320:53.
Illustrative only. This is not an estimate of how many people actually die from smoking each day or year - it's a rough, order-of-magnitude comparison meant to help grasp the scale of smoking in this area. We take no responsibility for any decisions made based on this figure.
Air Quality
| Metric | Clay County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.65 | 7.19 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.6 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Clay County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Clay County, KY Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Clay County, KY is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 19,921 residents against a local median of 13,086. There is no headline here. Every measure below sits within 15% of the median across the nearest counties, which makes Clay County, KY an unremarkable member of its own neighbourhood rather than an outlier in it.
The largest of those small differences is obesity, 4% above the local median at 43.9% against 42.2%. Clay County, KY has the 5th lowest obesity of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, KY | 19,921 | 72.4 yrs #5/6 | 5.2% #3/6 | 43.9% #5/6 |
| Owsley County, KY | 3,971 | 71.9 yrs | 4.8% | 41.1% |
| Knox County, KY | 29,865 | 73.5 yrs | 8.6% | 47.3% |
| Leslie County, KY | 10,079 | 74.0 yrs | 2.3% | 42.2% |
| Jackson County, KY | 13,086 | 72.7 yrs | 5.3% | 42.8% |
| Laurel County, KY | 62,983 | 75.1 yrs | 7.8% | 40.4% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Clay County, Kentucky has an overall health index grade of D, making it about on par with Kentucky, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Clay County, Kentucky.
How healthy is Clay County, Kentucky?
Clay County, Kentucky has a Map AI Health Index grade of D, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a D grade means residents face somewhat worse health outcomes than the U.S. average.
Is Clay County, Kentucky one of the healthiest counties in Kentucky?
No. Clay County ranks last of 120 counties in Kentucky by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
How long do people live in Clay County, Kentucky?
People in Clay County, Kentucky can expect to live 72.4 years on average, 2.6 years shorter than the Kentucky average of 75.0.
How many people lack health insurance in Clay County, Kentucky?
5.2% of residents in Clay County, Kentucky have no health insurance, about 1 in 19 people, 0.8 points below the Kentucky rate of 6.0%.
What is the obesity rate in Clay County, Kentucky?
43.9% of adults in Clay County, Kentucky are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 4.2 points above the Kentucky rate of 39.7%.
What health issue is more common in Clay County, Kentucky than elsewhere?
Compared with Kentucky as a whole, smoking stands out most: the adult rate here is 34.6%, about 33% higher than the Kentucky rate of 26.0%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Clay County, Kentucky go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 54,702 cigarettes a day, 1.6 million a month, or 20.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 601,719 minutes a day and 219.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Clay County is 72.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 5.77 lifetimes a year.
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