Unknown Confederate Soldier Monument in Horse Cave · Photo: The original uploader was Bedford at English Wikipedia. · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Horse Cave is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns
Horse Cave differs from Kentucky on 20 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Horse Cave. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Horse Cave
Horse Cave is in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Horse Cave is healthier than only 2% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
Stroke, COPD and heart disease run high in Horse Cave
1 in 15 adults have had a stroke (6.6%), vs 4% across Kentucky. 1 in 6 adults have COPD (16.1%), vs 10.2% across Kentucky. Heart disease is also above the state: 11.8%, vs 8.2% across Kentucky. In all, Horse Cave runs above Kentucky on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Horse Cave
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (28.5%), vs 15.5% across Kentucky. No reliable transportation (14.4% vs 8.8%) and utility shut-off threats (14.2% vs 8.8%) are higher too. 32.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More high blood pressure in Horse Cave, and more people treating it
47.4% of adults have high blood pressure (Kentucky 38.8%), but 84.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 81.3% statewide. 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 Horse Cave’s likely range.
What’s behind Horse Cave’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Horse Cave is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns. All seven of Horse Cave’s estimates fall in the lowest 15% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is physical distress: 21% of adults, against 15.2% across Kentucky and 13% 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). Horse Cave’s median household income is $51,118; among the 6,157 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$64K), it’s healthier than 4%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Horse Cave compares well: binge drinking, 10.7% (U.S. 15.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 84.6% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Horse Cave adults…
Horse Cave runs above KY on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
32.6% of Horse Cave adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.5% across Kentucky.
Keeping up with care
Share of Horse Cave adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kentucky.
Care in and near Horse Cave
1 hospital in Horse Cave, 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 Horse Cave; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Horse Cave adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Horse Cave 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.
Horse Cave and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horse Cave | D− | 41.3% | 19.3% | 24.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Horse Cave adults live with a disability (Kentucky 37.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Horse Cave
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Horse Cave is better than Kentucky on 2 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Kentucky figure falls inside Horse Cave’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Horse Cave | KY | U.S. | vs KY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 32.7%29.8–35.9 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 21%18.9–23.4 | 15.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20%18–22.1 | 17.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.3%33.1–49.6 | 38.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 19.3%16.9–21.8 | 13.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 47.4%42.9–51.9 | 38.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.7%36.8–46.6 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 41.3%37.3–45.5 | 32.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.6%11.1–14.3 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.7%8.6–10.7 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 11.8%10.7–12.9 | 8.2% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 16.1%14.6–17.8 | 10.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.6%6–7.2 | 4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 31.8%26.9–37 | 18.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 24.8%22–27.9 | 18.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 37.3%32.2–42.7 | 26.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 10.7%8.5–13.2 | 14.2% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 45.8%38.3–53.2 | 39.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.6%7.5–12.1 | 5.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.9%77.3–84.2 | 78.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 46.7%42.7–50.9 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.1%80.3–85.5 | 84.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84.6%82.2–86.7 | 81.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.6%56–66.8 | 65.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.1%61–78 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.2%24.1–32.5 | 26.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26%22.3–29.7 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 28.5%25.8–31.1 | 15.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.2%16.2–20.2 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14.2%12.5–15.9 | 8.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.4%13.1–15.7 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 32.6%29.6–35.5 | 14.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 48.4%43.7–53.3 | 37.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 27.2%24.7–30 | 17.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 22%19.8–24.4 | 17.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 12.8%11.5–14.2 | 9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.8%9–10.7 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.7%13.3–16.2 | 9.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.7%7.1–8.4 | 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 Horse Cave
Is Horse Cave a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Horse Cave is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 4%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Horse Cave?
CDC estimates 41.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.1% and 49.6%, against 38.3% across Kentucky and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Horse Cave?
Caverna Memorial Hospital in Horse Cave, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Horse Cave’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Horse Cave have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.5–12.1%), 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 Horse Cave more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Horse Cave.
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.