W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

Counties with the longest life expectancy in Kentucky

Life expectancy in the United States has generally been on the rise, with rare exceptions for certain segments of the population. Between 1960 and 2019, the life expectancy of Americans rose by roughly a decade to the age of 79. Greater longevity can be attributed to improved health care such as diagnostic and medical advancements, as well as shifting lifestyle choices including healthier diets and a reduction in rates of smoking and alcohol consumption.

While no one single factor determines the overall health of an entire community, certain socioeconomic and environmental factors such as access to health care, clean air, clean water, and affordable housing, contribute significantly to the general health and wellbeing of the entire population.

Using 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified counties with the longest life expectancy in Kentucky. Life expectancy measures the average number of years from birth a person can expect to live, and is calculated based on the number of deaths in a given time period and the average number of people at risk of dying during that period. Counties with unreliable or insufficient data were excluded from the analysis. Mortality data came from the National Vital Statistics System.

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#42. Marshall County

– Average life expectancy: 75.1 years (same as statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #24
— Length of life rank: #40
— Quality of life rank: #18

Patricia Drury // Wikimedia Commons

#39. Union County

– Average life expectancy: 75.2 years (0.1 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #83
— Length of life rank: #27
— Quality of life rank: #101

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#39. Bourbon County

– Average life expectancy: 75.2 years (0.1 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #55
— Length of life rank: #73
— Quality of life rank: #39

Chris Watson // Wikicommons

#39. Jefferson County

– Average life expectancy: 75.2 years (0.1 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #32
— Length of life rank: #64
— Quality of life rank: #22

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#36. Menifee County

– Average life expectancy: 75.3 years (0.2 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #68
— Length of life rank: #47
— Quality of life rank: #83

Joel Bradshaw // Wikimedia Commons

#36. Ohio County

– Average life expectancy: 75.3 years (0.2 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #37
— Length of life rank: #33
— Quality of life rank: #51

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#36. Barren County

– Average life expectancy: 75.3 years (0.2 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #36
— Length of life rank: #20
— Quality of life rank: #59

w.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#33. Henderson County

– Average life expectancy: 75.4 years (0.3 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #62
— Length of life rank: #21
— Quality of life rank: #88

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#33. Lyon County

– Average life expectancy: 75.4 years (0.3 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #22
— Length of life rank: #49
— Quality of life rank: #14

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#33. Anderson County

– Average life expectancy: 75.4 years (0.3 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #21
— Length of life rank: #38
— Quality of life rank: #19

Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Washington County

– Average life expectancy: 75.6 years (0.5 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #34
— Length of life rank: #29
— Quality of life rank: #50

Smallbones // Wikimedia Commons

#29. McCracken County

– Average life expectancy: 75.6 years (0.5 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #33
— Length of life rank: #50
— Quality of life rank: #30

JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Franklin County

– Average life expectancy: 75.6 years (0.5 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #30
— Length of life rank: #37
— Quality of life rank: #36

FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Madison County

– Average life expectancy: 75.6 years (0.5 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #29
— Length of life rank: #39
— Quality of life rank: #32

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#27. McLean County

– Average life expectancy: 75.7 years (0.6 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #49
— Length of life rank: #17
— Quality of life rank: #82

Dcoetzee // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Trigg County

– Average life expectancy: 75.7 years (0.6 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #25
— Length of life rank: #48
— Quality of life rank: #17

JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Wayne County

– Average life expectancy: 75.8 years (0.7 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #78
— Length of life rank: #59
— Quality of life rank: #87

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Rowan County

– Average life expectancy: 75.8 years (0.7 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #46
— Length of life rank: #19
— Quality of life rank: #77

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Meade County

– Average life expectancy: 75.8 years (0.7 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #11
— Length of life rank: #15
— Quality of life rank: #10

Ryan Emmick // Wikimedia Commons

#23. Hancock County

– Average life expectancy: 75.9 years (0.8 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #12
— Length of life rank: #12
— Quality of life rank: #20

Hunter Hawley // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Breckinridge County

– Average life expectancy: 76 years (0.9 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #35
— Length of life rank: #36
— Quality of life rank: #43

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Hardin County

– Average life expectancy: 76 years (0.9 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #18
— Length of life rank: #34
— Quality of life rank: #12

Chris Light // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Nelson County

– Average life expectancy: 76 years (0.9 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #13
— Length of life rank: #26
— Quality of life rank: #6

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Garrard County

– Average life expectancy: 76.1 years (1.0 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #38
— Length of life rank: #32
— Quality of life rank: #54

Huw Williams (Huwmanbeing) // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Edmonson County

– Average life expectancy: 76.1 years (1.0 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #31
— Length of life rank: #45
— Quality of life rank: #31

Greg5030 // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Kenton County

– Average life expectancy: 76.4 years (1.3 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #14
— Length of life rank: #28
— Quality of life rank: #7

Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Ballard County

– Average life expectancy: 76.5 years (1.4 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #19
— Length of life rank: #10
— Quality of life rank: #37

Farragutful // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Daviess County

– Average life expectancy: 76.5 years (1.4 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #17
— Length of life rank: #16
— Quality of life rank: #21

Christopher L. Riley // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Boyle County

– Average life expectancy: 76.7 years (1.6 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #16
— Length of life rank: #9
— Quality of life rank: #27

OPMaster // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Warren County

– Average life expectancy: 76.7 years (1.6 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #15
— Length of life rank: #8
— Quality of life rank: #23

Murray State // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Calloway County

– Average life expectancy: 76.8 years (1.7 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #5
— Length of life rank: #4
— Quality of life rank: #8

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Scott County

– Average life expectancy: 77 years (1.9 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #3
— Length of life rank: #3
— Quality of life rank: #5

Christopher L. Riley // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Jessamine County

– Average life expectancy: 77.2 years (2.1 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #27
— Length of life rank: #23
— Quality of life rank: #35

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Spencer County

– Average life expectancy: 77.3 years (2.2 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #7
— Length of life rank: #6
— Quality of life rank: #11

Rdikeman // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Campbell County

– Average life expectancy: 77.3 years (2.2 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #4
— Length of life rank: #11
— Quality of life rank: #4

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Elliott County

– Average life expectancy: 77.5 years (2.4 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #95
— Length of life rank: #62
— Quality of life rank: #113

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#5. Shelby County

– Average life expectancy: 77.6 years (2.5 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #9
— Length of life rank: #7
— Quality of life rank: #13

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#5. Woodford County

– Average life expectancy: 77.6 years (2.5 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #8
— Length of life rank: #18
— Quality of life rank: #3

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Bullitt County

– Average life expectancy: 78.1 years (3.0 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #10
— Length of life rank: #13
— Quality of life rank: #16

Christopher L. Riley // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Fayette County

– Average life expectancy: 78.1 years (3.0 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #6
— Length of life rank: #5
— Quality of life rank: #9

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Boone County

– Average life expectancy: 78.9 years (3.8 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #2
— Length of life rank: #2
— Quality of life rank: #2

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Oldham County

– Average life expectancy: 79.8 years (4.7 more than the statewide average)
– Health outcomes statewide rank: #1
— Length of life rank: #1
— Quality of life rank: #1