Van Dyke House · Photo: TEDD LiGGETT · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Elk Creek is healthier than 9%
Elk Creek beats Kentucky on 15 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Elk Creek. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Elk Creek
Against towns with similar incomes, Elk Creek’s lead shrinks
Elk Creek is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns, but 9% of the 3,210 towns with similar household incomes ($108K–$180K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Fewer Elk Creek adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Kentucky. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Elk Creek is an active town
Only 21.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 26.9% across Kentucky. Habits ↓
Stroke and COPD are less common in Elk Creek
Elk Creek runs below Kentucky on stroke (3.1% vs 4%), COPD (8.1% vs 10.2%) and heart disease (6.6% vs 8.2%). A young population is part of it: only 13% of residents are 65 or older (Kentucky 17%). Conditions ↓
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 Elk Creek’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Elk Creek’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elk Creek is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 78% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 36%).
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). Elk Creek’s median household income is $144,100; among the 3,210 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($108K–$180K), it’s healthier than 9%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.7% of Elk Creek adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.5% across Kentucky.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kentucky
Share of adults, with the Kentucky figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Out of every 100 Elk Creek adults…
Elk Creek runs below KY on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Elk Creek residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Kentucky. Heart disease, COPD and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Elk Creek
No hospital or community health center in Elk Creek 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 Elk Creek; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Elk Creek adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kentucky.
How Elk Creek adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Elk Creek does better than 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.
Elk Creek and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Creek | B | 38% | 12% | 16.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Elk Creek adults live with a disability (Kentucky 37.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Elk Creek
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Elk Creek is better than Kentucky on 15 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Kentucky figure falls inside Elk Creek’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Elk Creek | KY | U.S. | vs KY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17%14.9–19 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%11.2–14.3 | 15.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.5–16.9 | 17.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38%29.5–46.3 | 38.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12%10.3–13.8 | 13.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37%32.4–41.7 | 38.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%31.6–41.5 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.6%26.5–34.5 | 32.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.3–12.1 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.6–9.4 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%5.9–7.3 | 8.2% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 8.1%7.2–9 | 10.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.3 | 4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.3%9–13.8 | 18.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.2%14–18.3 | 18.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 21.8%17.8–25.8 | 26.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%11.8–18.5 | 14.2% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40%32.3–47.4 | 39.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.8%3.8–5.9 | 5.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.3%73.9–81.9 | 78.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66%62.1–69.6 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.9%85.7–90 | 84.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.1%76.6–83.3 | 81.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.3%61.8–72 | 65.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.8%66.2–81.7 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.6%21.5–29.6 | 26.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.2%17.2–23.3 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.5%8.4–10.7 | 15.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.4%7.3–9.5 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.2%5.4–7 | 8.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6%5.4–6.6 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.7%6.7–8.7 | 14.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.4%26–34.7 | 37.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.4%11.7–15.1 | 17.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%12–15.2 | 17.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7%6.1–7.8 | 9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.7–4.5 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.7%6–7.4 | 9.4% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.8–3.3 | 4.4% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Elk Creek
Is Elk Creek a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elk Creek is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Elk Creek?
CDC estimates 38% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.5% and 46.3%, against 38.3% across Kentucky and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Elk Creek?
Uofl Health - Shelbyville Hospital in Shelbyville, 9.9 miles in a straight line from Elk Creek’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Elk Creek have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.8–5.9%), 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 Elk Creek more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Elk Creek.
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.