Health Profile of Union County, Kentucky
Union 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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C
Union County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Union County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.8 | 75.0 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 5.8% | 6.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 22.2% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Union County is 75.8 years, about 0.7 years longer than the Kentucky average of 75.0 years. The uninsured rate is 5.8%, lower than the Kentucky average of 6.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 22.2% of residents, lower than the Kentucky average of 23.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
4,928 residents in Union County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 252 75 men · 177 women
- 75–84 632 261 men · 371 women
- 65–74 1,404 680 men · 724 women
- 50–64 2,640 1,276 men · 1,364 women
Younger residents
2,542 residents in Union County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 808 442 boys · 366 girls
- 7–12 738 377 boys · 360 girls
- 3–7 573 275 boys · 298 girls
- 0–3 423 196 boys · 227 girls
About 819 residents in Union County (6.2% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 75.8 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Union County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.3% | 13.0% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.5% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.8% | 8.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 39.2% | 39.7% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Union County are about the same as in Kentucky.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Union County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 24.6% | 26.0% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.4% | 15.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 33.4% | 34.0% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Union County are about the same as in Kentucky.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 26,468 cigarettes a day, 794,045 a month, or 9.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 291,150 minutes a day and 106.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Union County is 75.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.67 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 | Union County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.38 | 7.19 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Union County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Union County, KY Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Union County, KY is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 13,258 residents against a local median of 8,979. Where Union County, KY breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 27% above the local median of 4.6% at 5.8%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 7.1% on uninsured, so Union County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Union County, KY has the 5th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, KY | 13,258 | 75.8 yrs #3/6 | 5.8% #5/6 | 39.3% #5/6 |
| Webster County, KY | 12,842 | 74.8 yrs | 4.8% | 40.4% |
| Gallatin County, IL | 4,818 | 73.7 yrs | 4.6% | 38.3% |
| Crittenden County, KY | 8,979 | 75.5 yrs | 10.4% | 38.7% |
| Hardin County, IL | 3,602 | 78.0 yrs | 3.7% | 37.1% |
| Posey County, IN | 25,116 | 77.9 yrs | 3.2% | 37.8% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Union County, Kentucky has an overall health index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Kentucky, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Union County, Kentucky.
How healthy is Union County, Kentucky?
Union County, Kentucky has a Map AI Health Index grade of C, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average.
Is Union County, Kentucky one of the healthiest counties in Kentucky?
Union County ranks 39th 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 Union County, Kentucky?
People in Union County, Kentucky can expect to live 75.8 years on average, 0.7 years longer than the Kentucky average of 75.0.
How many people lack health insurance in Union County, Kentucky?
5.8% of residents in Union County, Kentucky have no health insurance, about 1 in 17 people, about the same as the Kentucky rate of 6.0%.
What is the obesity rate in Union County, Kentucky?
39.3% of adults in Union County, Kentucky are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, about the same as the Kentucky rate of 39.7%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Union County, Kentucky go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 26,468 cigarettes a day, 794,045 a month, or 9.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 291,150 minutes a day and 106.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Union County is 75.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.67 lifetimes a year.
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