Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Beaver Dam is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns
Beaver Dam trails Kentucky on 15 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Beaver Dam. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Beaver Dam
Beaver Dam is in the bottom 6% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Beaver Dam is healthier than only 6% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
1 in 10 working-age adults in Beaver Dam has no health insurance
9.7% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.4% across Kentucky. Checkups ↓
Dental care lags in Beaver Dam
52.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 58.1% across Kentucky. Among those 65 and older, 25% have lost all their teeth (Kentucky 18.9%). Checkups ↓
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 Beaver Dam’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Beaver Dam’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Beaver Dam is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns, #129 of 141 in Kentucky. All seven of Beaver Dam’s estimates fall in the lowest 15% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is smoking: 21.5% of adults, against 18.5% across Kentucky and 11.8% nationally.
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). Beaver Dam’s median household income is $53,944; among the 7,101 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 11%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Beaver Dam adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kentucky.
Out of every 100 Beaver Dam adults…
Beaver Dam runs above KY on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Beaver Dam
No hospital or community health center in Beaver Dam itself. These are the nearest.
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 Beaver Dam; ≈ 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.
1.3 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Beaver Dam adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Beaver Dam runs above Kentucky.
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.
18.8% of Beaver Dam adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.5% across Kentucky.
Beaver Dam and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver Dam | D | 41.5% | 15.1% | 21.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Beaver Dam adults live with a disability (Kentucky 37.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Beaver Dam
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Beaver Dam is better than Kentucky on 0 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Kentucky figure falls inside Beaver Dam’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Beaver Dam | KY | U.S. | vs KY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.9%25–30.9 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%16.2–20.5 | 15.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.5–21.8 | 17.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.5%32.9–50.1 | 38.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.1%13–17.3 | 13.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.9%36.5–45.5 | 38.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%33.3–42.7 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.3%31–39.5 | 32.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.1%10.5–13.8 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.2–10.1 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.3%8.4–10.4 | 8.2% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.9%11.5–14.2 | 10.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.3–5.1 | 4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 25%20.6–29.5 | 18.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.5%18.9–24.4 | 18.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.4%27.2–37.7 | 26.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.6%9.8–15.6 | 14.2% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.7%33–48.5 | 39.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.7%7.6–12.1 | 5.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.3%74.1–82.1 | 78.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.5%48.2–56.7 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.7%78.8–84.3 | 84.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.3%78.6–83.8 | 81.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.2%57.5–68.6 | 65.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.9%61.3–79 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.4%24.1–33 | 26.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.1%20.7–27.7 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.6%17.5–21.9 | 15.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.1%12.4–16 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.3%8.9–11.8 | 8.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.5%9.4–11.6 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.8%16.6–21.2 | 14.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 44.6%39.3–49.6 | 37.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.3%18.9–23.8 | 17.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.2%19–23.5 | 17.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.5%9.3–11.8 | 9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.6%6.9–8.3 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.9%10.7–13.2 | 9.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.4%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 Beaver Dam
Is Beaver Dam a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Beaver Dam is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns: D for health, #129 of 141 in Kentucky. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 11%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Beaver Dam?
CDC estimates 41.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.9% and 50.1%, against 38.3% across Kentucky and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Beaver Dam?
Ohio County Hospital in Hartford, 3.3 miles in a straight line from Beaver Dam’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Beaver Dam have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–12.1%), 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 Beaver Dam more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Beaver Dam.
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.