Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, West Buechel is healthier than 68%
West Buechel differs from Kentucky on 17 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for West Buechel. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in West Buechel
West Buechel is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, West Buechel is healthier than 29%. Against the 5,307 towns with similar household incomes ($37K–$61K), it’s healthier than 68%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in West Buechel
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (26.2%), vs 15.5% across Kentucky. Utility shut-off threats (15.6% vs 8.8%) and housing insecurity (20.6% vs 11.7%) are higher too. 24.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 12 working-age adults in West Buechel has no health insurance
8.4% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.4% across Kentucky. Checkups ↓
Cancer and COPD are less common in West Buechel
West Buechel runs below Kentucky on five chronic conditions, most of all cancer (4.7% vs 8.7%), COPD (6.7% vs 10.2%) and heart disease (5.5% vs 8.2%). A young population is part of it: only 8% of residents are 65 or older (Kentucky 17%). Conditions ↓
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 West Buechel’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind West Buechel’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Buechel is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 59% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 21%).
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). West Buechel’s median household income is $48,784; among the 5,307 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$61K), it’s healthier than 68%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where West Buechel compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 32.7% (U.S. 37.1%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 4.7% (U.S. 7.9%); coronary heart disease, 5.5% (U.S. 6.4%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
24.8% of West Buechel adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.5% across Kentucky.
Out of every 100 West Buechel adults…
West Buechel runs below KY on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 8% of West Buechel residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Kentucky. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Keeping up with care
Share of West Buechel adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kentucky.
Care in and near West Buechel
No hospital or community health center in West Buechel 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 West Buechel; ≈ 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 West Buechel adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, West Buechel 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.
West Buechel and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Buechel | C | 38.8% | 13.5% | 18% | CDC place |
| Watterson Park | C− | 39.8% | 16% | 17.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of West Buechel adults live with a disability (Kentucky 37.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for West Buechel
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, West Buechel is better than Kentucky on 8 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Kentucky figure falls inside West Buechel’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | West Buechel | KY | U.S. | vs KY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.2%20.9–25.5 | 22.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%12.1–15.2 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%16.1–19.7 | 17.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.8%34.2–43.3 | 38.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.5%11.9–15.1 | 13.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.6%32.7–38.6 | 38.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.7%30–35.4 | 36.8% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 23.8%21.3–26.3 | 32.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11%9.7–12.4 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.5%4.9–6.1 | 8.2% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.7%6–7.5 | 10.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.2%3–3.5 | 4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.9%13.2–18.6 | 18.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18%15.9–20.2 | 18.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.9%24.5–31.4 | 26.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.7%11.3–16.4 | 14.2% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.7%39.2–48.2 | 39.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.4%6.6–10.3 | 5.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.4%73.9–80.6 | 78.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.5%48–55 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81%78.2–83.6 | 84.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.3%74.3–80 | 81.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.5%56.9–65.8 | 65.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.9%65.9–78.9 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.6%20.7–26.7 | 26.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.5%24.3–30.8 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 26.2%24–28.5 | 15.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.6%18.5–22.6 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.6%13.8–17.3 | 8.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.5%13.3–15.8 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.8%22.5–27.2 | 14.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.8%31.3–38.3 | 37.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.4%12.8–16 | 17.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.4%15.6–19.3 | 17.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 6.6%6–7.2 | 6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.4%8.5–10.4 | 9.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%4.1–4.8 | 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 West Buechel
Is West Buechel a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Buechel is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in West Buechel?
CDC estimates 38.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.2% and 43.3%, against 38.3% across Kentucky and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to West Buechel?
Baptist Health Louisville in Louisville, 3.5 miles in a straight line from West Buechel’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in West Buechel have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.6–10.3%), 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 West Buechel 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 West Buechel.
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.