Health Profile of Harlan County, Kentucky
Harlan 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
Harlan County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Harlan County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 73.1 | 75.0 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 4.9% | 6.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 29.4% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Harlan County is 73.1 years, about 1.9 years shorter than the Kentucky average of 75.0 years. The uninsured rate is 4.9%, lower than the Kentucky average of 6.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 29.4% of residents, higher than the Kentucky average of 23.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
9,789 residents in Harlan County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 438 177 men · 261 women
- 75–84 1,324 507 men · 817 women
- 65–74 2,703 1,277 men · 1,426 women
- 50–64 5,324 2,591 men · 2,732 women
Younger residents
5,725 residents in Harlan County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,877 938 boys · 938 girls
- 7–12 1,698 849 boys · 849 girls
- 3–7 1,228 624 boys · 604 girls
- 0–3 922 465 boys · 458 girls
About 2,261 residents in Harlan County (8.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 73.1 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Harlan County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 15.6% | 13.0% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.9% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 9.8% | 8.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 45.0% | 39.7% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Harlan County is about 20% higher than in Kentucky. The rate of heart disease in Harlan County is about 19% higher than in Kentucky.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Harlan County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 30.8% | 26.0% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.0% | 15.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 39.7% | 34.0% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Harlan County is about 18% higher than in Kentucky. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Harlan County is about 17% higher than in Kentucky.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 60,455 cigarettes a day, 1.8 million a month, or 22.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 665,007 minutes a day and 242.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Harlan County is 73.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.32 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 | Harlan County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.15 | 7.19 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.1 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Harlan County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Harlan County, KY Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Harlan County, KY is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 25,771 residents against a local median of 20,808. Where Harlan County, KY breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 44% above the local median of 3.4% at 4.9%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 8.9% on uninsured, so Harlan County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Harlan County, KY has the 4th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlan County, KY | 25,771 | 73.1 yrs #3/6 | 4.9% #4/6 | 45.0% #5/6 |
| Lee County, VA | 21,899 | 77.0 yrs | 7.0% | 38.7% |
| Leslie County, KY | 10,079 | 74.0 yrs | 2.3% | 42.2% |
| Hancock County, TN | 6,852 | 72.7 yrs | 11.3% | 40.4% |
| Perry County, KY | 27,499 | 71.9 yrs | 2.4% | 41.7% |
| Letcher County, KY | 20,808 | 72.9 yrs | 3.4% | 45.1% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Harlan 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 Harlan County, Kentucky.
How healthy is Harlan County, Kentucky?
Harlan 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 Harlan County, Kentucky one of the healthiest counties in Kentucky?
Harlan County ranks 115th healthiest out of 120 counties in Kentucky by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the average lifespan in Harlan County, Kentucky?
People in Harlan County, Kentucky can expect to live 73.1 years on average, 1.9 years shorter than the Kentucky average of 75.0.
What is the uninsured rate in Harlan County, Kentucky?
4.9% of residents in Harlan County, Kentucky have no health insurance, about 1 in 20 people, 1.1 points below the Kentucky rate of 6.0%.
What is the obesity rate in Harlan County, Kentucky?
45.0% of adults in Harlan County, Kentucky are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 5.3 points above the Kentucky rate of 39.7%.
What health issue is more common in Harlan County, Kentucky than elsewhere?
Compared with Kentucky as a whole, diabetes stands out most: the adult rate here is 15.6%, about 20% higher than the Kentucky rate of 13.0%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Harlan County, Kentucky go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 60,455 cigarettes a day, 1.8 million a month, or 22.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 665,007 minutes a day and 242.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Harlan County is 73.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.32 lifetimes a year.
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