Photo: Nyttend · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Lexington is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns
Lexington trails Tennessee on 12 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lexington. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lexington
Lexington is in the bottom 8% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Lexington is healthier than only 8% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on five of the seven. Health Grade ↓
Lexington looks healthier next to Tennessee than next to the country
It’s healthier than 28% of the 176 Tennessee towns we grade, but 8% of towns nationwide. Much of Tennessee scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Lexington
1 in 9 adults have COPD (11%), vs 8.6% across Tennessee. 1 in 22 adults have had a stroke (4.6%), vs 3.7% across Tennessee. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.4%, vs 7% across Tennessee. In all, Lexington runs above Tennessee on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Lexington adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.9%), vs 26.6% across Tennessee. 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 Tennessee figure falls outside Lexington’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Lexington’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lexington is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns, #127 of 176 in Tennessee. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 28% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 6%).
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). Lexington’s median household income is $49,057; among the 5,430 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$61K), it’s healthier than 21%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Few Tennessee towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Lexington is healthier than 28% of graded towns, against 8% nationally.
Out of every 100 Lexington adults…
Lexington runs above TN on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Tennessee
Share of adults, with the Tennessee figure marked.
3.9 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near Lexington
1 hospital in Lexington, 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 Lexington; ≈ 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 Lexington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
How Lexington adults are doing
About the same as Tennessee 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.
18.1% of Lexington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Lexington and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington | D | 39.1% | 15.8% | 21% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lexington adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lexington
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lexington is better than Tennessee on 0 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Lexington’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lexington | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27%23.9–30.3 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.7–19.7 | 14.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.6%18.3–23 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.1%31.5–47.1 | 37.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.8%13.8–17.9 | 13.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 43.5%39.4–47.8 | 39.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41%36.7–45.6 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.3%32–39 | 30.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.2–12.9 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9%8.2–9.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.4%7.5–9.3 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11%9.7–12.3 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.2–5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.8%14.4–21.5 | 14.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21%18.3–24 | 17.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.9%27.4–36.9 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.1%10.8–16 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.8%32.1–45.7 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.7%10.9–14.8 | 11.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.7%75.2–82.1 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.4%48.4–56.3 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.9%84.1–87.8 | 86.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.4%75.7–80.8 | 76.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.6%54.9–65.9 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.9%63.3–79.4 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.7%24.8–33 | 28.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.3%24.4–32.2 | 27.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.4%17.4–21.5 | 16.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.8%13–16.6 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.3%9–11.6 | 9.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.3%9.3–11.3 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.1%16–20.1 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.9%36.4–45.7 | 35.8% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.4%18–22.9 | 16.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.7%17.6–22 | 17.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.1%8.1–10.2 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6.2–7.6 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.7%10.4–13 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.2%4.7–5.7 | 4.1% | 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 Tennessee figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Lexington
Is Lexington a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lexington is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns: D for health, #127 of 176 in Tennessee. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 21%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lexington?
CDC estimates 39.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.5% and 47.1%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lexington?
Henderson County Community Hospital in Lexington, 1.5 miles in a straight line from Lexington’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Lexington have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.9–14.8%), against 11.6% across Tennessee.
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 Lexington more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Lexington.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Tennessee 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.