Health Profile of McCreary County, Kentucky
McCreary 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
McCreary County Well below averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | McCreary County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 73.0 | 75.0 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 8.1% | 6.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 30.8% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in McCreary County is 73.0 years, about 2.0 years shorter than the Kentucky average of 75.0 years. The uninsured rate is 8.1%, higher than the Kentucky average of 6.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 30.8% of residents, higher than the Kentucky average of 23.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
5,791 residents in McCreary County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 150 49 men · 101 women
- 75–84 805 351 men · 454 women
- 65–74 1,559 754 men · 805 women
- 50–64 3,277 1,720 men · 1,556 women
Younger residents
3,578 residents in McCreary County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,103 588 boys · 515 girls
- 7–12 1,080 564 boys · 516 girls
- 3–7 818 428 boys · 390 girls
- 0–3 577 299 boys · 279 girls
About 1,207 residents in McCreary County (7.2% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 73.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | McCreary County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 15.2% | 13.0% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.1% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 9.7% | 8.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 45.6% | 39.7% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in McCreary County is about 18% higher than in Kentucky. The rate of heart disease in McCreary County is about 16% higher than in Kentucky.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | McCreary County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 34.6% | 26.0% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.4% | 15.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 41.1% | 34.0% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in McCreary County is about 33% higher than in Kentucky. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in McCreary County is about 21% higher than in Kentucky.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 45,622 cigarettes a day, 1.4 million a month, or 16.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 501,839 minutes a day and 183.2 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in McCreary County is 73.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 4.78 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 | McCreary County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.48 | 7.19 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.5 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in McCreary County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
McCreary County, KY Health Compared With Nearby Counties
McCreary County, KY is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 16,867 residents against a local median of 36,920. McCreary County, KY's uninsured, at 8.1%, runs 30% above the 6.2% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Obesity tells the same story from another angle: 45.6% against a local median of 38.5%, 18% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: McCreary County, KY reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 8.0% on uninsured, so McCreary County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. McCreary County, KY has the 4th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McCreary County, KY | 16,867 | 73.0 yrs #3/6 | 8.1% #4/6 | 45.6% #6/6 |
| Scott County, TN | 22,110 | 72.2 yrs | 13.2% | 37.5% |
| Whitley County, KY | 36,920 | 71.7 yrs | 6.2% | 36.7% |
| Wayne County, KY | 19,602 | 76.3 yrs | 5.2% | 40.8% |
| Pulaski County, KY | 65,897 | 74.8 yrs | 6.1% | 41.7% |
| Campbell County, TN | 39,761 | 72.8 yrs | 8.7% | 38.5% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, McCreary 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 McCreary County, Kentucky.
What is the health grade for McCreary County, Kentucky?
McCreary 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 McCreary County, Kentucky one of the healthiest counties in Kentucky?
McCreary County ranks 118th 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 McCreary County, Kentucky?
People in McCreary County, Kentucky can expect to live 73.0 years on average, 2.0 years shorter than the Kentucky average of 75.0.
What is the uninsured rate in McCreary County, Kentucky?
8.1% of residents in McCreary County, Kentucky have no health insurance, about 1 in 12 people, 2.1 points above the Kentucky rate of 6.0%.
What is the obesity rate in McCreary County, Kentucky?
45.6% of adults in McCreary County, Kentucky are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 5.9 points above the Kentucky rate of 39.7%.
Which health problem stands out most in McCreary County, Kentucky?
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 McCreary County, Kentucky go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 45,622 cigarettes a day, 1.4 million a month, or 16.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 501,839 minutes a day and 183.2 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in McCreary County is 73.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 4.78 lifetimes a year.
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