Ridgeway · Photo: Jack Boucher · Public domainOn CDC estimates, St. Matthews is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
St. Matthews differs from Kentucky on 24 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 23 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for St. Matthews. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in St. Matthews
St. Matthews ranks #3 for health in Kentucky
Out of 141 Kentucky towns with a Health Grade, St. Matthews is #3 on the seven CDC estimates behind it. Nationally it’s healthier than 92% of towns. Health Grade ↓
Binge drinking is the habit St. Matthews doesn’t win on
17.3% of adults binge drink, vs 14.2% across Kentucky, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
COPD and stroke are less common in St. Matthews
St. Matthews runs below Kentucky on seven chronic conditions, most of all COPD (5.9% vs 10.2%), stroke (2.6% vs 4%) and diabetes (9.7% vs 13.7%). Conditions ↓
St. Matthews is an active town
Only 17.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 26.9% across Kentucky. Habits ↓
St. Matthews has a top-rated hospital
Baptist Health Louisville is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 St. Matthews’ likely range.
What’s behind St. Matthews’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Matthews is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #3 of 141 in Kentucky. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 94% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 81%.
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). St. Matthews’ median household income is $82,412; among the 10,583 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($62K–$103K), it’s healthier than 99%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kentucky
Share of adults, with the Kentucky figure marked.
2.7 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 St. Matthews adults…
St. Matthews runs below KY on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near St. Matthews
1 hospital in St. Matthews, 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 St. Matthews; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of St. Matthews adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kentucky.
How St. Matthews adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, St. Matthews does better than 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.
6% of St. Matthews adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.5% across Kentucky.
St. Matthews and the towns around it
St. Matthews has the best Health Grade of the 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Matthews | A | 30.8% | 9.7% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| Beechwood Village | A | 31.8% | 10.1% | 10.7% | CDC place |
| Norwood | — | — | — | — | |
| Woodlawn Park | — | — | — | — | |
| Graymoor-Devondale | A− | 30.7% | 12.3% | 9.7% | CDC place |
| Windy Hills | A | 30% | 12.4% | 9.2% | CDC place |
| Lyndon | A− | 33.6% | 10.6% | 13.7% | CDC place |
| Maryhill Estates | — | — | — | — |
Norwood, Woodlawn Park and Maryhill Estates: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of St. Matthews adults live with a disability (Kentucky 37.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for St. Matthews
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, St. Matthews is better than Kentucky on 23 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Kentucky figure falls inside St. Matthews’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | St. Matthews | KY | U.S. | vs KY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.1%12.6–15.7 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.3%9.1–11.5 | 15.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.5–15.5 | 17.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.8%26.6–35.1 | 38.3% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.7%8.4–11 | 13.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31%28.3–33.7 | 38.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.7%31.8–37.5 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.3%23.7–28.9 | 32.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.7–11.2 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.9%8–9.7 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.4–6.7 | 8.2% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.9%5.3–6.6 | 10.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.9 | 4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.9%5.6–8.3 | 18.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.4%9.1–11.8 | 18.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.7%15.3–20.2 | 26.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.3%14.4–20.3 | 14.2% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.7%28.7–36.8 | 39.6% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.2%3.5–5.1 | 5.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.9%74.5–81 | 78.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.8%66.7–72.7 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.8%84.6–88.7 | 84.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.8%77.2–82.2 | 81.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.4%69.5–77 | 65.8% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.8%71.6–83.1 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25%21.8–28.2 | 26.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.6%15.3–20 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.2%7.3–9.2 | 15.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.4%6.5–8.4 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.6%4.9–6.3 | 8.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%5.1–6.2 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6%5.3–6.8 | 14.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.2%24.3–30.2 | 37.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.8%9.6–12.1 | 17.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12%10.7–13.4 | 17.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.6%5.9–7.4 | 9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.2–3.9 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.1%5.5–6.8 | 9.4% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.3%2.1–2.5 | 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 St. Matthews
Is St. Matthews a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Matthews is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #3 of 141 in Kentucky. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 99%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in St. Matthews?
CDC estimates 30.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.6% and 35.1%, against 38.3% across Kentucky and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to St. Matthews?
Baptist Health Louisville in Louisville, 0.7 miles in a straight line from St. Matthews’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in St. Matthews have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.5–5.1%), 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 St. Matthews more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in St. Matthews.
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.