Photo: EEJCC · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Covington is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns
Covington differs from Kentucky on 7 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Covington. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Covington
Making ends meet is harder in Covington
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (20.7%), vs 15.5% across Kentucky. Utility shut-off threats (11.9% vs 8.8%) and housing insecurity (15.5% vs 11.7%) are higher too. 21.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 12 working-age adults in Covington has no health insurance
8.3% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.4% across Kentucky. Checkups ↓
Health varies a lot right around Covington
Grades next door run from Park Hills (A) to Taylor Mill (C−). Covington is a C−. Around town ↓
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 Covington’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Covington’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Covington is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns, #90 of 141 in Kentucky. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 32% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 7%).
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). Covington’s median household income is $61,166; among the 9,213 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$76K), it’s healthier than 27%, 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 Covington is healthier than 36% of graded towns, against 19% nationally.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
21.2% of Covington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.5% across Kentucky.
Keeping up with care
Share of Covington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kentucky.
Covington and the towns around it
Covington’s Health Grade ranks 9th of 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Covington | C− | 38.4% | 13.3% | 20.6% | CDC place |
| Taylor Mill | C− | 36.6% | 13.6% | 21% | CDC place |
| Fort Wright | A− | 32.5% | 11.8% | 13.8% | CDC place |
| Ludlow | C+ | 36% | 12.1% | 20.1% | CDC place |
| Park Hills | A | 31.8% | 10.1% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| Wilder | B | 35.6% | 11.7% | 14.1% | CDC place |
| Ryland Heights | — | — | — | — | |
| Erlanger | B | 34.8% | 11.9% | 16.7% | CDC place |
Ryland Heights: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 Covington adults…
Covington runs below KY on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Covington
1 community health center in Covington, 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 Covington; ≈ 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.
20 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves
How Covington 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Covington adults live with a disability (Kentucky 37.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Covington
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Covington is better than Kentucky on 2 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Kentucky figure falls inside Covington’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Covington | KY | U.S. | vs KY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.8%21.5–26.4 | 22.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.2–17.8 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.8%17–20.8 | 17.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.4%32–45.5 | 38.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.3%11.6–15.2 | 13.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.2%34.5–42.1 | 38.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.4%32.4–40.4 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.4%25.2–31.9 | 32.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.3–13.2 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.4%6.7–8.2 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.8–8.3 | 8.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 10.3%9.3–11.3 | 10.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.7–4.2 | 4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.2%17.8–25 | 18.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.6%18.3–23.1 | 18.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.4%24.5–32.9 | 26.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%12.3–18.5 | 14.2% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.5%34.5–47 | 39.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%7.2–9.6 | 5.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.3%73.6–81 | 78.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.2%51.6–58.9 | 58.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.9%79.1–84.5 | 84.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.5%76.6–82.2 | 81.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.3%59.4–69.3 | 65.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74%66.3–81.1 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.9%24.2–32.1 | 26.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%21–27.8 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.7%18.9–22.8 | 15.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.5%13.8–17.3 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.9%10.6–13.4 | 8.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.4%10.4–12.5 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.2%19.3–23.3 | 14.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.1%34.1–42.6 | 37.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.1%15.4–19.1 | 17.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.1%17.2–21.2 | 17.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.5%7.6–9.5 | 9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6.4–7.6 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.6%9.6–11.7 | 9.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.1%4.7–5.5 | 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 Covington
Is Covington a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Covington is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #90 of 141 in Kentucky. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 27%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Covington?
CDC estimates 38.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 32% and 45.5%, against 38.3% across Kentucky and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Covington?
St. Elizabeth Edgewood in Edgewood, 3.1 miles in a straight line from Covington’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Covington have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–9.6%), 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 Covington 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 Covington.
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.