State Profile

Kentucky

Population (2023): 4,526 million

Kentucky’s public health outcomes and emergency preparedness are generally worse than other states. According to TFAH’s 2024 Ready or Not: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism report, the state placed in the low performance tier for public health emergency preparedness. Deaths within the state due to drug misuse, alcohol, or suicide outpace the country as a whole. Based on the 2022 data, its rates of obesity and related conditions indicate an area of concern, with the percentage of adults with obesity higher than the U.S. median. In addition, rates of diabetes and hypertension also rank higher than the U.S. median.