Photo: W.marsh · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Barbourville is healthier than 89%
Barbourville trails Kentucky on 3 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Barbourville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Barbourville
Barbourville is short on primary care and mental health care
Barbourville’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Barbourville is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Barbourville is healthier than 21%. Against the 119 towns with similar household incomes ($17K–$28K), it’s healthier than 89%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Kentucky figure falls outside Barbourville’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Barbourville’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Barbourville is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns, #86 of 141 in Kentucky. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 34% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 16%).
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). Barbourville’s median household income is $22,046; among the 119 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($17K–$28K), it’s healthier than 89%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Few Kentucky towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Barbourville is healthier than 39% of graded towns, against 20% nationally.
Care in and near Barbourville
1 hospital in Barbourville, 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 Barbourville; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Barbourville adults…
Barbourville runs above KY on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kentucky
Share of adults, with the Kentucky figure marked.
2.1 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Barbourville adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kentucky.
How Barbourville 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.
19.9% of Barbourville adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.5% across Kentucky.
Barbourville and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbourville | C− | 38.4% | 14.2% | 17.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Barbourville adults live with a disability (Kentucky 37.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Barbourville
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Barbourville is better than Kentucky on 0 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Kentucky figure falls inside Barbourville’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Barbourville | KY | U.S. | vs KY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.5%22.1–27 | 22.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.9–18.5 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%16.2–19.9 | 17.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.4%31.2–46 | 38.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.2%12.4–16.1 | 13.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.7%34.7–42.7 | 38.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.4%32.1–40.8 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.7%30.3–37.3 | 32.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.2–13 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.6%7.8–9.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.9%8–9.9 | 8.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 11.6%10.5–12.8 | 10.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.2–5 | 4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23.1%19.4–27 | 18.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.8%15.8–20 | 18.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.9%23.9–32.2 | 26.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.8%10.3–15.7 | 14.2% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.6%32.9–46.6 | 39.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.5%5.4–10.2 | 5.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.2%75.5–82.7 | 78.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.2%52.2–60 | 58.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83%80.4–85.5 | 84.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.2%78.7–83.6 | 81.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.5%56–66.8 | 65.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.2%61.7–77.8 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.3%24.5–32.5 | 26.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.9%17.8–24.2 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.3%15.4–19.2 | 15.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12%10.5–13.5 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.8%8.5–11.1 | 8.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.5%8.5–10.5 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.9%17.7–22.1 | 14.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.2%35.1–43.6 | 37.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.6%17.6–21.7 | 17.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.1%16.3–20.1 | 17.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.1%9–11.3 | 9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.1%6.5–7.7 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%9.8–11.9 | 9.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%5–6 | 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 Barbourville
Is Barbourville a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Barbourville is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #86 of 141 in Kentucky. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Barbourville?
CDC estimates 38.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.2% and 46%, against 38.3% across Kentucky and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Barbourville?
Knox County Hospital in Barbourville, 1.2 miles in a straight line from Barbourville’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Barbourville have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.4–10.2%), 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 Barbourville 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 Barbourville.
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.