Photo: Wdyo222 · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Princeton is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns
Princeton trails Kentucky on 9 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Princeton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Princeton
1 in 12 working-age adults in Princeton has no health insurance
8.1% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.4% across Kentucky. Checkups ↓
Princeton is short on primary care and mental health care
Princeton’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
COPD and stroke run high in Princeton
1 in 8 adults have COPD (12.4%), vs 10.2% across Kentucky. 1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.8%), vs 4% across Kentucky. Conditions ↓
Princeton is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Princeton is healthier than 15%. Against the 4,813 towns with similar household incomes ($36K–$59K), it’s healthier than 42%. Health Grade ↓
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 Princeton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Princeton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Princeton is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns, #98 of 141 in Kentucky. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 39% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 10%).
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). Princeton’s median household income is $47,411; among the 4,813 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$59K), it’s healthier than 42%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Few Kentucky towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Princeton is healthier than 31% of graded towns, against 15% nationally.
Keeping up with care
Share of Princeton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kentucky.
Care in and near Princeton
2 community health centers in Princeton, 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 Princeton; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Princeton adults…
Princeton runs above KY on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kentucky
Share of adults, with the Kentucky figure marked.
1.7 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How Princeton 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.
18.8% of Princeton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.5% across Kentucky.
Princeton and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton | D | 39% | 15.5% | 19.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Princeton adults live with a disability (Kentucky 37.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Princeton
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Princeton is better than Kentucky on 0 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Kentucky figure falls inside Princeton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Princeton | KY | U.S. | vs KY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.5%22.9–28.2 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%15–18.9 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.7%15.8–19.6 | 17.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39%30.5–47.1 | 38.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.5%13.4–17.6 | 13.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 41.8%37.2–46.5 | 38.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.2%33.4–43.2 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.5%31.4–39.3 | 32.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.2–13.2 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.3%8.4–10.3 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.2%8.3–10.3 | 8.2% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.4%11.1–13.7 | 10.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.4–5.2 | 4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23.5%19.3–27.7 | 18.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.9%17.4–22.4 | 18.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.4%25.5–35 | 26.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.6%9.9–15.3 | 14.2% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41%33.3–48.3 | 39.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.1%6.5–9.9 | 5.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.2%76.2–83.4 | 78.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.7%51.4–59.6 | 58.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.6%80.8–86 | 84.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.8%80–85.2 | 81.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.5%57.6–68.5 | 65.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.2%62.9–79.4 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.1%22.8–31.1 | 26.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.4%20.8–28.1 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.3%17.2–21.4 | 15.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.7%12.1–15.5 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.1%8.8–11.5 | 8.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.4%9.4–11.4 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.8%16.8–21 | 14.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.6%36.7–46 | 37.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21%18.7–23.3 | 17.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.4%16.4–20.4 | 17.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.2%9–11.4 | 9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7%6.3–7.6 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.8%9.7–12 | 9.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.1%4.7–5.6 | 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 Princeton
Is Princeton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Princeton is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns: ≈ D for health, #98 of 141 in Kentucky. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 42%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Princeton?
CDC estimates 39% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.5% and 47.1%, against 38.3% across Kentucky and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Princeton?
Caldwell Medical Center in Princeton, 2.6 miles in a straight line from Princeton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Princeton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–9.9%), 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 Princeton 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 Princeton.
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.