US Bullion Depository, Fort Knox, Kentucky · Photo: Work permit Original author=Cliff · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Fort Knox is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Fort Knox differs from Kentucky on 22 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 14 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fort Knox. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fort Knox
Binge drinking is the habit Fort Knox doesn’t win on
18.8% of adults binge drink, vs 14.2% across Kentucky, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Fort Knox is behind on routine checkups
It trails Kentucky on three of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (73.3% vs 78.7%), cholesterol checks (78.2% vs 84.2%) and colon screening (58.8% vs 65.8%). Checkups ↓
Heart disease and stroke are less common in Fort Knox
Fort Knox runs below Kentucky on eight chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (2.6% vs 8.2%), stroke (1.4% vs 4%) and cancer (3.1% vs 8.7%). A young population is part of it: only 2% 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 Fort Knox’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Fort Knox’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Knox is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #20 of 141 in Kentucky. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 24%).
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). Fort Knox’s median household income is $82,663; among the 10,578 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($62K–$103K), it’s healthier than 86%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Fort Knox adults…
Fort Knox runs below KY on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 2% of Fort Knox residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Kentucky. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kentucky
Share of adults, with the Kentucky figure marked.
28 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Fort Knox adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kentucky.
Care in and near Fort Knox
No hospital or community health center in Fort Knox 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 Fort Knox; ≈ 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).
How Fort Knox adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Fort Knox 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.
10.6% of Fort Knox adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.5% across Kentucky.
Fort Knox and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fort Knox adults live with a disability (Kentucky 37.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fort Knox
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fort Knox is better than Kentucky on 14 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Kentucky figure falls inside Fort Knox’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fort Knox | KY | U.S. | vs KY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.7%13.2–16.2 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.3%8.4–10.3 | 15.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.6%17.1–20.4 | 17.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.6%30.6–41.4 | 38.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 13.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 22.1%19.7–24.7 | 38.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 22.5%19.9–25.2 | 36.8% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 14.8%13.1–16.8 | 32.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.4–11.6 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 8.2% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 10.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1.4%1.3–1.5 | 4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13%11–15.3 | 18.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.6%11.3–14.1 | 18.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18.9%16.4–22 | 26.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.8%15.9–22.3 | 14.2% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.5%37.3–48.2 | 39.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7%5.9–8.3 | 5.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.3%69.6–76.9 | 78.7% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.5%59.5–65.7 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.2%75.3–81 | 84.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 62.3%59–65.6 | 81.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.8%54.4–63.4 | 65.8% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.6%67.2–79.8 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.3%23.3–29.8 | 26.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.1%23.1–29.2 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.6%13.2–16 | 15.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.6%12.3–15 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.1%8.1–10.2 | 8.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.5%8.7–10.3 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.6%9.5–11.9 | 14.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.5%24.5–31 | 37.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 6.9%6.2–7.8 | 17.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.5%15.1–18.2 | 17.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 3.7%3.3–4.1 | 9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.8–7 | 9.4% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2%1.9–2.2 | 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 Fort Knox
Is Fort Knox a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Knox is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #20 of 141 in Kentucky. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 86%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fort Knox?
CDC estimates 35.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.6% and 41.4%, against 38.3% across Kentucky and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fort Knox?
Baptist Health Hardin in Elizabethtown, 14.8 miles in a straight line from Fort Knox’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fort Knox have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.9–8.3%), 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 Fort Knox more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Fort Knox.
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.