Photo: Nyttend · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Buckeye Lake is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns
Buckeye Lake trails Ohio on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Buckeye Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Buckeye Lake
Every town around Buckeye Lake scores healthier
All three graded neighbors are ahead of Buckeye Lake’s C−, from Licking Township (B−) to Harbor Hills (B). Around town ↓
Buckeye Lake is short on primary care and mental health care
Buckeye Lake’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 ↓
Smoking is more common in Buckeye Lake
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (19.2%), vs 15.4% across Ohio. Habits ↓
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 Ohio figure falls outside Buckeye Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B.
What’s behind Buckeye Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buckeye Lake is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns, #710 of 993 in Ohio. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 37% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). Buckeye Lake’s median household income is $79,286; among the 10,786 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$99K), it’s healthier than 11%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Buckeye Lake and the towns around it
Buckeye Lake’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckeye Lake | C− | 39.7% | 14.6% | 19.2% | CDC place |
| Harbor Hills | B | 36.6% | 14.3% | 14.6% | CDC place |
| Licking Township | B− | 37.1% | 13.2% | 15.4% | ZIP codes |
| Union Township | B− | 36.9% | 13.1% | 15.1% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Buckeye Lake
No hospital or community health center in Buckeye Lake 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 Buckeye Lake; ≈ 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 Ohio
Share of adults, with the Ohio figure marked.
1.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Buckeye Lake adults…
Buckeye Lake runs above OH on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Buckeye Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Ohio.
How Buckeye Lake adults are doing
About the same as Ohio on each measure.
1 in 3 Buckeye Lake adults feel lonely. 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.
11.4% of Buckeye Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Ohio.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Buckeye Lake adults live with a disability (Ohio 29.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Buckeye Lake
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Buckeye Lake is better than Ohio on 0 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Ohio figure falls inside Buckeye Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Buckeye Lake | OH | U.S. | vs OH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.1%17.7–25.1 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%13.8–18.4 | 13.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.3–21 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.7%33.7–46.3 | 37.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.6%12.7–16.8 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.4%34.5–42.6 | 37.2% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.5%35.6–43.9 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 34%30.6–37.6 | 29.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.3–13.3 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.8%8.8–10.7 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7–9.1 | 7.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 10%8.3–11.8 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.5–4.5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 24.6%20.8–29 | 15.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.2%15.8–22.9 | 15.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.4%23–32.5 | 26.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15%12.5–17.8 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.3%33.8–44.9 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.2%6.1–10.7 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.1%75.7–82.2 | 79.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.6%55.9–63 | 62.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.8%83.6–88 | 86.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.7%76.9–82.4 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.3%55.5–65 | 65.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.6%65.1–79.5 | 76% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.6%24.1–31.7 | 25.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.2%30.1–41 | 35% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.6%18–25.9 | 21.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.7%10.6–17.4 | 14.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.8%8.7–13.2 | 11.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.7%6.4–9.1 | 8.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.4%6.2–8.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.4%8.7–14.4 | 11.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33%28.5–38 | 29.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.1%13.6–19.1 | 13.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.6%13.3–18.1 | 13.9% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.7–8.7 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.4–6 | 4.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%7.7–10.7 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.6–5.1 | 3.8% | 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 Ohio figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Buckeye Lake
Is Buckeye Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buckeye Lake is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #710 of 993 in Ohio. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 11%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Buckeye Lake?
CDC estimates 39.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.7% and 46.3%, against 37.1% across Ohio and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Buckeye Lake?
Licking Memorial Hospital in Newark, 8.0 miles in a straight line from Buckeye Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Buckeye Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–10.7%), against 8% across Ohio.
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 Buckeye Lake 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 Buckeye Lake.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Ohio 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.