McCreary County Health Data
McCreary County, Kentucky
Health Score
23/100
Below Avg
Life Expectancy
69.6 yr
Uninsured Rate
8.0%
Health Statistics
Life Expectancy
69.6 yr
State avg 72.2 yr
National avg 77.5 yr
Uninsured Rate
8.0%
State avg 7.0%
National avg 9%
Primary Care Providers
6
per 100K population
National avg 82
Mental Health Providers
129
per 100K population
National avg 350
Data Story
About Health in McCreary County, Kentucky
McCreary County's health emergency
Life expectancy in McCreary County is just 69.6 years—nearly 3 years below the U.S. average of 72.3 years. An alarming 30.7% of residents report poor or fair health—nearly double the national average of 17.9%—while 8.0% lack health insurance entirely, the highest uninsured rate in this county group.
Kentucky's most challenged county
McCreary County's 69.6-year life expectancy ranks among Kentucky's lowest, 2.6 years below the state average of 72.2 years. The combination of low life expectancy, high poor/fair health rate (30.7%), and highest uninsured rate (8.0%) positions McCreary as one of Kentucky's most health-challenged counties.
Critical provider shortage
McCreary County's 69.6-year life expectancy trails all peer counties except Martin, but the crisis deepens with provider access: only 6 primary care providers per 100,000 residents—a critical shortage that forces residents to travel 45+ minutes for basic care. Mental health access at 129 per 100K is also inadequate for a population with 30.7% poor/fair health rates.
Uninsured and desperately under-resourced
McCreary County's 8.0% uninsured rate is the highest in this peer group—affecting roughly 1 in 12 residents. The catastrophic shortage of primary care providers (just 6 per 100K) means even insured residents struggle to find a doctor willing to take new patients or with appointment availability within weeks.
Urgent: secure coverage and find care pathways
McCreary County faces a healthcare emergency—uninsured residents and those without nearby providers must act now. Visit kynect.ky.gov or call 1-855-MY-KYNCT to enroll in coverage; ask about community health center sliding-scale services, telehealth options, and regional hospitals that serve as safety-net providers for rural residents.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Data Sources
Health data sourced from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
Data is informational only. Not medical or health advice. Coverage varies by county and reporting year.