Ludlow Theater, The · Photo: Nyttend · Public domainWithin Kentucky, Ludlow is healthier than 59% of graded towns
Ludlow beats Kentucky on 6 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ludlow. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ludlow
What’s behind Ludlow’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ludlow is healthier than 35% of U.S. towns, #58 of 141 in Kentucky. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 51% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Ludlow’s median household income is $65,284; among the 9,982 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 47%, about where its income would put it.
Where Ludlow compares well: worried about having enough food, 12.5% (U.S. 15%).
Out of every 100 Ludlow adults…
Ludlow runs below KY on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Ludlow
No hospital or community health center in Ludlow 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 Ludlow; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kentucky
Share of adults, with the Kentucky figure marked.
1.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Ludlow adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kentucky.
How Ludlow 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.5% of Ludlow adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.5% across Kentucky.
Ludlow and the towns around it
Ludlow has the best Health Grade of the 3 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ludlow adults live with a disability (Kentucky 37.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ludlow
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ludlow is better than Kentucky on 6 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Kentucky figure falls inside Ludlow’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ludlow | KY | U.S. | vs KY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.4%19.2–23.8 | 22.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13.2–16.6 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%16.1–19.9 | 17.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36%29.7–43 | 38.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.1%10.5–13.8 | 13.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.9%32.1–39.6 | 38.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.7%32.6–40.6 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.1%24.9–31.6 | 32.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.9–12.8 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.8%7–8.7 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.4–7.9 | 8.2% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 10%9–11 | 10.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.8 | 4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15%12.3–18.5 | 18.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.1%17.8–22.6 | 18.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.5%22.6–30.8 | 26.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.1%13.2–19.6 | 14.2% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.6%32.7–45.1 | 39.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%4.6–7.6 | 5.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.4%72.6–80.2 | 78.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.3%54.6–62.1 | 58.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.2%80.6–85.6 | 84.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.1%76.1–81.7 | 81.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.2%59.2–69.3 | 65.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.5%66–80.8 | 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 | 20.9%18.1–24.2 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.5%11.1–14.1 | 15.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.4%9.1–11.8 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.9%6.9–9 | 8.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.4%6.7–8.2 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.5%10.2–13 | 14.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.9%31.9–40.3 | 37.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.5%13.8–17.3 | 17.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.8%16–19.8 | 17.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7.3–9.2 | 9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%5.1–6.1 | 6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%8.3–10.1 | 9.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.7–4.4 | 4.4% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Ludlow
Is Ludlow a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ludlow is healthier than 35% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #58 of 141 in Kentucky. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 47%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ludlow?
CDC estimates 36% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.7% and 43%, against 38.3% across Kentucky and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ludlow?
Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, 3.1 miles in a straight line from Ludlow’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ludlow have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.6–7.6%), 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 Ludlow 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 Ludlow.
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.