Photo: Corey Graese · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Ashland is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns
Ashland trails Kentucky on 3 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ashland. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ashland
What’s behind Ashland’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ashland is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns, #96 of 141 in Kentucky. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 40% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 14%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Ashland’s median household income is $52,715; among the 6,698 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$66K), it’s healthier than 36%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Few Kentucky towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Ashland is healthier than 32% of graded towns, against 17% nationally.
Out of every 100 Ashland adults…
Ashland runs above KY on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Ashland
1 hospital and 3 community health centers in Ashland, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Ashland; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Kentucky
Share of adults, with the Kentucky figure marked.
3 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Ashland adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kentucky.
How Ashland adults are doing
About the same as Kentucky on each measure.
A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.7% of Ashland adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.5% across Kentucky.
Ashland and the towns around it
Ashland has the best Health Grade of the 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland | C− | 41.4% | 14.7% | 19% | CDC place |
| Westwood | D | 41.2% | 15.9% | 21.5% | CDC place |
| Catlettsburg | D− | 44.3% | 16.3% | 25.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ashland adults live with a disability (Kentucky 37.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ashland
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ashland is better than Kentucky on 0 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Kentucky figure falls inside Ashland’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ashland | KY | U.S. | vs KY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.2%20.8–25.6 | 22.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.3–18 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.8–19.5 | 17.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.4%34.4–48.3 | 38.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.7%12.8–16.7 | 13.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.7%36.7–44.9 | 38.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.6%33.4–42.1 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 36.7%32.9–40.5 | 32.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10–13 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.6–10.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.9%8–9.8 | 8.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 11.3%10.2–12.5 | 10.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.4%4.1–4.7 | 4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.3%16.7–24.1 | 18.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19%16.7–21.4 | 18.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.8%25.5–34.2 | 26.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13%10.4–15.8 | 14.2% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.4%31.2–43.6 | 39.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.6%5.6–7.8 | 5.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%76.2–83.1 | 78.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.2%54.3–61.9 | 58.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.3%82.8–87.5 | 84.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83%80.3–85.4 | 81.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%63.3–72.8 | 65.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.2%63.7–79.5 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.4%24.4–32.4 | 26.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.4%18–24.6 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.5%13.6–17.1 | 15.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.7%10.1–13.1 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.1%7.8–10.2 | 8.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.8%7.9–9.7 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.7%13.7–17.4 | 14.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.5%34.2–42.8 | 37.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.1%17.1–21.2 | 17.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.3%15.4–19.2 | 17.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.8%8.7–10.9 | 9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.8–6.9 | 6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.1%9.1–11.1 | 9.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.9%4.5–5.2 | 4.4% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Kentucky figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Ashland
Is Ashland a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ashland is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #96 of 141 in Kentucky. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 36%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ashland?
CDC estimates 41.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.4% and 48.3%, against 38.3% across Kentucky and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ashland?
King's Daughters' Medical Center in Ashland, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Ashland’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ashland have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–7.8%), against 5.4% across Kentucky.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Ashland more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Ashland.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Kentucky figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.