Carter County

KentuckyFIPS 21043

Pop. 26,6270 HospitalsSVI 0.56RUCC 2 (Metro)PC HPSADental HPSAMH HPSA
!

Hospital Desert

Carter County has no hospital. Residents must travel to neighboring counties for hospital care.

Health Snapshot

MetricCarter CountyState Avg 
Diabetes Prevalence12.8%12.5%
Adult Obesity42.9%40.1%
Uninsured Rate7.5%7.0%
PCPs per 10K1.94.2
Premature Death (YPLL)15,654.588

Source: County Health Rankings (2025)

Workforce Supply

6
Primary Care Physicians
22.8 per 100k
38
NPs & PAs
144.1 per 100k
5
Dentists
0
Hospital Beds
$10,826.55
Medicare Per Capita
2481.0%
Readmission Rate

Source: Area Health Resources File (AHRF) 2024-2025

Carter County has no hospital. 44 of Kentucky's counties are hospital deserts.

See all hospital deserts in Kentucky

Social Vulnerability Index

Overall0.56
Socioeconomic Status0.76
Household Composition & Disability0.38
Minority Status & Language0.05
Housing Type & Transportation0.57

Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022. Score 0-1; higher = more vulnerable.

Health Professional Shortage Areas

!
Primary Care
Designated Shortage Area
!
Dental Health
Designated Shortage Area
!
Mental Health
Designated Shortage Area

Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce

Nearest Hospitals

Since Carter County has no hospital, residents travel to nearby facilities.

Related Pages

Stay Informed on Kentucky Rural Health

Subscribe to Rural Health Pulse for weekly data updates on hospitals, closures, and funding.

Share this pageLinkedInX / TwitterEmail

Data from CMS Provider of Services, County Health Rankings, CDC Social Vulnerability Index, HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce, AHRF 2024-2025, CDC PLACES 2023-2024, and UNC Sheps Center. Last updated: 2026-03-11.