KY / county disease rankings
Counties with the lowest life expectancy in Kentucky
Among 120 Kentucky counties with published values, the counties with the lowest life expectancy are Owsley County, KY (64.5, against the U.S. county median of 75.3), Wolfe County, KY (65.5, against the U.S. county median of 75.3) and Harlan County, KY (65.7, against the U.S. county median of 75.3). Values are years.
Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. These are county-level figures, compared with the U.S. county median. A high rate does not prove an environmental cause: age, smoking, income, access to care, screening and chance all move county rates, and small counties swing widely.
All Kentucky counties, lowest first
Life expectancy, years.
| Rank | County | State | Value | U.S. county median | Times reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Owsley County | KY | 64.5 | 75.3 | 0.86x |
| 2 | Wolfe County | KY | 65.5 | 75.3 | 0.87x |
| 3 | Harlan County | KY | 65.7 | 75.3 | 0.87x |
| 4 | Perry County | KY | 65.7 | 75.3 | 0.87x |
| 5 | Floyd County | KY | 67 | 75.3 | 0.89x |
| 6 | Knott County | KY | 67.1 | 75.3 | 0.89x |
| 7 | Bell County | KY | 67.3 | 75.3 | 0.89x |
| 8 | Breathitt County | KY | 67.5 | 75.3 | 0.9x |
| 9 | Letcher County | KY | 67.7 | 75.3 | 0.9x |
| 10 | Magoffin County | KY | 68.1 | 75.3 | 0.9x |
| 11 | Clay County | KY | 68.3 | 75.3 | 0.91x |
| 12 | Fulton County | KY | 68.3 | 75.3 | 0.91x |
| 13 | Lee County | KY | 68.3 | 75.3 | 0.91x |
| 14 | Whitley County | KY | 68.5 | 75.3 | 0.91x |
| 15 | Powell County | KY | 68.6 | 75.3 | 0.91x |
| 16 | Leslie County | KY | 68.7 | 75.3 | 0.91x |
| 17 | Bath County | KY | 68.8 | 75.3 | 0.91x |
| 18 | Rockcastle County | KY | 69.2 | 75.3 | 0.92x |
| 19 | Pike County | KY | 69.3 | 75.3 | 0.92x |
| 20 | Johnson County | KY | 69.4 | 75.3 | 0.92x |
| 21 | Estill County | KY | 69.5 | 75.3 | 0.92x |
| 22 | Knox County | KY | 69.5 | 75.3 | 0.92x |
| 23 | McCreary County | KY | 69.6 | 75.3 | 0.92x |
| 24 | Lewis County | KY | 70 | 75.3 | 0.93x |
| 25 | Menifee County | KY | 70 | 75.3 | 0.93x |
| 26 | Webster County | KY | 70.1 | 75.3 | 0.93x |
| 27 | Carter County | KY | 70.4 | 75.3 | 0.93x |
| 28 | Lawrence County | KY | 70.5 | 75.3 | 0.94x |
| 29 | Lincoln County | KY | 70.5 | 75.3 | 0.94x |
| 30 | Martin County | KY | 70.6 | 75.3 | 0.94x |
| 31 | Carroll County | KY | 70.7 | 75.3 | 0.94x |
| 32 | Carlisle County | KY | 70.9 | 75.3 | 0.94x |
| 33 | Grayson County | KY | 71 | 75.3 | 0.94x |
| 34 | Livingston County | KY | 71 | 75.3 | 0.94x |
| 35 | Jackson County | KY | 71.1 | 75.3 | 0.94x |
| 36 | Bracken County | KY | 71.5 | 75.3 | 0.95x |
| 37 | Christian County | KY | 71.5 | 75.3 | 0.95x |
| 38 | Hickman County | KY | 71.5 | 75.3 | 0.95x |
| 39 | Boyd County | KY | 71.6 | 75.3 | 0.95x |
| 40 | Gallatin County | KY | 71.6 | 75.3 | 0.95x |
| 41 | Adair County | KY | 71.7 | 75.3 | 0.95x |
| 42 | Clinton County | KY | 71.7 | 75.3 | 0.95x |
| 43 | Robertson County | KY | 71.7 | 75.3 | 0.95x |
| 44 | Taylor County | KY | 71.7 | 75.3 | 0.95x |
| 45 | Crittenden County | KY | 71.8 | 75.3 | 0.95x |
| 46 | Metcalfe County | KY | 71.8 | 75.3 | 0.95x |
| 47 | Rowan County | KY | 71.8 | 75.3 | 0.95x |
| 48 | Montgomery County | KY | 71.9 | 75.3 | 0.95x |
| 49 | Grant County | KY | 72 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 50 | Casey County | KY | 72.1 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 51 | Pendleton County | KY | 72.1 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 52 | Pulaski County | KY | 72.1 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 53 | Russell County | KY | 72.1 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 54 | Mason County | KY | 72.2 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 55 | Monroe County | KY | 72.2 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 56 | Trimble County | KY | 72.2 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 57 | Hopkins County | KY | 72.3 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 58 | Breckinridge County | KY | 72.4 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 59 | Harrison County | KY | 72.4 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 60 | Greenup County | KY | 72.5 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 61 | Laurel County | KY | 72.5 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 62 | Trigg County | KY | 72.5 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 63 | Fleming County | KY | 72.6 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 64 | Owen County | KY | 72.6 | 75.3 | 0.96x |
| 65 | Butler County | KY | 72.7 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 66 | Henry County | KY | 72.7 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 67 | Larue County | KY | 72.7 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 68 | Nicholas County | KY | 72.7 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 69 | Wayne County | KY | 72.7 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 70 | Clark County | KY | 72.8 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 71 | Ohio County | KY | 72.8 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 72 | Ballard County | KY | 72.9 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 73 | Muhlenberg County | KY | 72.9 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 74 | Caldwell County | KY | 73 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 75 | Franklin County | KY | 73 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 76 | Graves County | KY | 73 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 77 | Morgan County | KY | 73 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 78 | Simpson County | KY | 73 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 79 | Todd County | KY | 73 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 80 | Allen County | KY | 73.1 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 81 | Cumberland County | KY | 73.1 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 82 | Hart County | KY | 73.2 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 83 | Marion County | KY | 73.2 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 84 | Henderson County | KY | 73.3 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 85 | Jefferson County | KY | 73.3 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 86 | Union County | KY | 73.3 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 87 | Mercer County | KY | 73.4 | 75.3 | 0.97x |
| 88 | Barren County | KY | 73.7 | 75.3 | 0.98x |
| 89 | Garrard County | KY | 73.7 | 75.3 | 0.98x |
| 90 | Hardin County | KY | 73.7 | 75.3 | 0.98x |
| 91 | Bourbon County | KY | 73.8 | 75.3 | 0.98x |
| 92 | Green County | KY | 73.8 | 75.3 | 0.98x |
| 93 | Logan County | KY | 73.8 | 75.3 | 0.98x |
| 94 | Madison County | KY | 73.8 | 75.3 | 0.98x |
| 95 | McCracken County | KY | 73.8 | 75.3 | 0.98x |
| 96 | Calloway County | KY | 74.1 | 75.3 | 0.98x |
| 97 | Nelson County | KY | 74.2 | 75.3 | 0.99x |
| 98 | Washington County | KY | 74.2 | 75.3 | 0.99x |
| 99 | Anderson County | KY | 74.4 | 75.3 | 0.99x |
| 100 | McLean County | KY | 74.5 | 75.3 | 0.99x |
| 101 | Boyle County | KY | 74.6 | 75.3 | 0.99x |
| 102 | Hancock County | KY | 74.8 | 75.3 | 0.99x |
| 103 | Marshall County | KY | 74.8 | 75.3 | 0.99x |
| 104 | Daviess County | KY | 74.9 | 75.3 | 0.99x |
| 105 | Meade County | KY | 75.1 | 75.3 | 1x |
| 106 | Edmonson County | KY | 75.3 | 75.3 | 1x |
| 107 | Warren County | KY | 75.3 | 75.3 | 1x |
| 108 | Bullitt County | KY | 75.7 | 75.3 | 1.01x |
| 109 | Jessamine County | KY | 75.7 | 75.3 | 1.01x |
| 110 | Scott County | KY | 75.7 | 75.3 | 1.01x |
| 111 | Lyon County | KY | 76 | 75.3 | 1.01x |
| 112 | Shelby County | KY | 76.2 | 75.3 | 1.01x |
| 113 | Spencer County | KY | 76.2 | 75.3 | 1.01x |
| 114 | Elliott County | KY | 76.3 | 75.3 | 1.01x |
| 115 | Kenton County | KY | 76.3 | 75.3 | 1.01x |
| 116 | Fayette County | KY | 76.7 | 75.3 | 1.02x |
| 117 | Woodford County | KY | 76.7 | 75.3 | 1.02x |
| 118 | Campbell County | KY | 77.1 | 75.3 | 1.02x |
| 119 | Boone County | KY | 78 | 75.3 | 1.04x |
| 120 | Oldham County | KY | 79.7 | 75.3 | 1.06x |