Diabetes rates have been on the rise for the last two decades, and show no sign of abating. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 11.3% of the U.S. population suffers from diabetes—though many of those affected do not know they have the chronic illness.
Diabetes was the 8th leading cause of death in 2020, but the disease does not impact all Americans equally. Instead, variables like poverty level, geographic region, and race all influence diabetes rates, meaning some Americans are disproportionately impacted by the disease.
The Southeastern portion of the U.S. has a particularly high concentration of counties with elevated diabetes rates, with parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Texas, and nearly all of Louisiana, along with other states, facing some of the highest rates. Studies have shown that lack of access to healthy, affordable foods and health care services, exposure to environmental toxins, and other health hazards associated with poverty and systemic racism contribute to the increased likelihood of developing diabetes. These same conditions also mean that poor, non-white Americans are more likely to endure complications and have higher mortality rates from diabetes than wealthier white Americans with the disease.
The proportion of young people with diabetes is projected to increase over the next several decades, with racial, geographic, and socioeconomic disparities only growing larger if trends continue. Using 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified the counties in Kentucky with the highest percentage of adults with diabetes. Ties were broken by the broader Quality of Life rank provided by the analysis, which includes other poor physical and mental health indicators. The age-adjusted diabetes rate was obtained through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
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1 / 25#25. Owsley County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #117
--- Quality of life rank: #98
--- Length of life rank: #118
- Estimated county population: 4,331
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
2 / 25#24. Martin County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #98
--- Quality of life rank: #103
--- Length of life rank: #90
- Estimated county population: 11,031
W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 25#23. Jackson County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #101
--- Quality of life rank: #104
--- Length of life rank: #96
- Estimated county population: 13,340
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
4 / 25#22. Pike County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #103
--- Quality of life rank: #105
--- Length of life rank: #100
- Estimated county population: 57,057
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
5 / 25#21. Lawrence County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #99
--- Quality of life rank: #106
--- Length of life rank: #89
- Estimated county population: 15,436
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6 / 25#20. Christian County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #66
--- Quality of life rank: #49
--- Length of life rank: #77
- Estimated county population: 71,478
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
7 / 25#19. Casey County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #82
--- Quality of life rank: #80
--- Length of life rank: #75
- Estimated county population: 16,066
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8 / 25#18. Lewis County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #102
--- Quality of life rank: #93
--- Length of life rank: #107
- Estimated county population: 13,262
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
9 / 25#17. Nicholas County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #92
--- Quality of life rank: #99
--- Length of life rank: #84
- Estimated county population: 7,234
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
10 / 25Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
11 / 25#15. Knott County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #111
--- Quality of life rank: #107
--- Length of life rank: #114
- Estimated county population: 14,512
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 25#14. Floyd County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #109
--- Quality of life rank: #109
--- Length of life rank: #109
- Estimated county population: 34,974
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 25#13. Letcher County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #107
--- Quality of life rank: #110
--- Length of life rank: #108
- Estimated county population: 21,213
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 25#12. Breathitt County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #119
--- Quality of life rank: #112
--- Length of life rank: #117
- Estimated county population: 12,550
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
15 / 25#11. Elliott County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #95
--- Quality of life rank: #113
--- Length of life rank: #62
- Estimated county population: 7,372
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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
16 / 25#10. Leslie County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #108
--- Quality of life rank: #116
--- Length of life rank: #104
- Estimated county population: 9,637
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 25#9. Knox County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #106
--- Quality of life rank: #117
--- Length of life rank: #98
- Estimated county population: 31,022
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
18 / 25#8. Magoffin County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #113
--- Quality of life rank: #119
--- Length of life rank: #110
- Estimated county population: 12,017
Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons
19 / 25#7. Fulton County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #116
--- Quality of life rank: #108
--- Length of life rank: #116
- Estimated county population: 5,952
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 25#6. Wolfe County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #120
--- Quality of life rank: #111
--- Length of life rank: #118
- Estimated county population: 7,106
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W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
21 / 25#5. Harlan County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #114
--- Quality of life rank: #115
--- Length of life rank: #113
- Estimated county population: 25,566
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
22 / 25#4. Bell County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #112
--- Quality of life rank: #118
--- Length of life rank: #111
- Estimated county population: 25,482
W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
23 / 25#3. Lee County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 16% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #110
--- Quality of life rank: #102
--- Length of life rank: #112
- Estimated county population: 7,268
Kybluegrass // Wikimedia Commons
24 / 25#2. McCreary County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 16% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #104
--- Quality of life rank: #114
--- Length of life rank: #94
- Estimated county population: 17,071
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 25#1. Clay County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 16% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #115
--- Quality of life rank: #120
--- Length of life rank: #106
- Estimated county population: 19,631
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