Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Highland Heights is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns
Highland Heights differs from Kentucky on 22 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 18 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Highland Heights. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Highland Heights
Highland Heights is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Highland Heights is healthier than 77%. Against the 6,866 towns with similar household incomes ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 98%. Health Grade ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Highland Heights doesn’t win on
17.8% of adults binge drink, vs 14.2% across Kentucky, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Stroke and diabetes are less common in Highland Heights
Highland Heights runs below Kentucky on nine chronic conditions, most of all stroke (2.5% vs 4%), diabetes (8.7% vs 13.7%) and COPD (6.5% vs 10.2%). Conditions ↓
Highland Heights is an active town
Only 20.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 26.9% across Kentucky. Habits ↓
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 Highland Heights’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Highland Heights’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highland Heights is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns, #22 of 141 in Kentucky. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 93% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Highland Heights’ median household income is $53,275; among the 6,866 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 98%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kentucky
Share of adults, with the Kentucky figure marked.
1.9 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Highland Heights adults…
Highland Heights runs below KY on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Highland Heights
No hospital or community health center in Highland Heights 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 Highland Heights; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Highland Heights adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kentucky.
How Highland Heights adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Highland Heights 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.
9.5% of Highland Heights adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.5% across Kentucky.
Highland Heights and the towns around it
Highland Heights’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland Heights | A− | 31.7% | 8.7% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Fort Thomas | A | 33.1% | 10.3% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Cold Spring | B− | 35.6% | 14.7% | 14% | CDC place |
| Wilder | B | 35.6% | 11.7% | 14.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Highland Heights adults live with a disability (Kentucky 37.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Highland Heights
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Highland Heights is better than Kentucky on 18 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Kentucky figure falls inside Highland Heights’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Highland Heights | KY | U.S. | vs KY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.7%14.1–17.5 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.2%10–12.5 | 15.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%17.7–21.3 | 17.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.7%25.9–37.9 | 38.3% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.7%7.7–9.9 | 13.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.7%24.4–31 | 38.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 28.4%24.9–32 | 36.8% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 22.2%19.8–24.8 | 32.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.9–12.5 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.5%6–7.2 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.8–5.8 | 8.2% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.5%5.8–7.2 | 10.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.3–2.7 | 4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15%12.4–17.9 | 18.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%10.5–13.5 | 18.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.1%17.1–23.4 | 26.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.8%14.7–21.2 | 14.2% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.4%30.6–42.4 | 39.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.3%4.2–6.5 | 5.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.8%74.4–81.2 | 78.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.4%61.2–67.9 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.5%75.1–81.6 | 84.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.5%73.2–77.7 | 81.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.3%65.6–74.6 | 65.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.5%72–84.2 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.6%24.1–31.4 | 26.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.2%19.8–26.9 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.4%10.9–14.1 | 15.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.7%8.4–11 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.7%5.8–7.7 | 8.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.8%7.9–9.8 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.5%8.2–10.8 | 14.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.5%28.8–36.5 | 37.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.2%10–12.5 | 17.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.1%15.5–19 | 17.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.4%5.8–7.2 | 9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.9–4.7 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%7.4–8.9 | 9.4% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 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 Highland Heights
Is Highland Heights a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highland Heights is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #22 of 141 in Kentucky. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 98%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Highland Heights?
CDC estimates 31.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.9% and 37.9%, against 38.3% across Kentucky and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Highland Heights?
St. Elizabeth Ft Thomas in Fort Thomas, 3.0 miles in a straight line from Highland Heights’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Highland Heights have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.2–6.5%), 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 Highland Heights 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 Highland Heights.
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.