Health · Sells
Sells, AZ health
Sells differs from Arizona on 29 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (6% vs 8.8%) and fewer binge drinkers (13% vs 15.3%). Where it trails the state: more adults facing a utility shut-off (28.8% vs 7.2%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for SellsTownTapestry Health GradeNew
D−
Sells’s Health Grade: D−
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Sells is in the bottom 1% of U.S. towns.
D-Self-rated healthD-Physical distressD-Mental distressD-ObesityD-DiabetesD-SmokingD-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 0%
Less healthyHealthier
Arizona towns we grade (207)Healthier than 1%
High confidence. Even at the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Sells stays a D−.
How the Health Grade works
- Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Arizona ranking.
- Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
- Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Sells with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
- Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Sells uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card
How Sells compares with Arizona
Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.
Chronic conditions
45.3% have obesity
1 better1 close10 worse
Habits
38.2% get no exercise
1 better0 close3 worse
Care & screenings
72.6% had a checkup
0 better2 close5 worse
Mind & connection
40.2% feel lonely
0 better0 close5 worse
Everyday needs
51% face food insecurity
0 better1 close4 worse
Disability
56.1% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Sells adults…
42 of every 100 Sells adults have high blood pressure
Arizona: 33 in 100 · worse · margin 38.9–44.6%
Bars show Sells; the black tick is Arizona. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Sells, betterSells, worseToo close to callArizona
Get no exerciseshare of adults
38.2% Sells
AZ 21.9%
AZ 21.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
51.6% Sells
AZ 35.2%
AZ 35.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults
13% Sells
AZ 15.3%
AZ 15.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
34.5% Sells
AZ 11.4%
AZ 11.4%
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Sells adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
Yearly checkup
AZ 74%Dentist visit
AZ 60%Cholesterol check
AZ 85%Colon screening
AZ 60%Mammogram
AZ 73%Taking BP meds
AZ 74%1 in 6
working-age adults has no health insurance
Sells 16.5% · Arizona 1 in 8 (13.2%)
Mind & connection
How Sells adults are doing
1 in 2Sells adults feel lonely
40.2% · Arizona 32% · worse
1 in 3Sells adults have been diagnosed with depression
30.3% · Arizona 19.5% · worse
1 in 3Sells adults lack social or emotional support
37.3% · Arizona 25.7% · worse
1 in 3Sells adults are in frequent mental distress
28.9% · Arizona 15.4% · worse
Everyday needs
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
1 in 2
Sells adults worry about having enough food
51% · AZ 15.8% · worse
1 in 3
Sells adults worry about keeping their housing
33.2% · AZ 12% · worse
1 in 3
Sells adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
28.8% · AZ 7.2% · worse
1 in 3
Sells adults lack reliable transportation
31.4% · AZ 8.7% · worse
48.7% of Sells adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
Disability
Living with a disability
56.1%
of Sells adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs28.7%
Thinking or memory30.4%
Hearing13.7%
Errands alone20.4%
Vision16.9%
Dressing or bathing9.7%
Black tick: Arizona. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Sells
No hospital or community health center in Sells itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERSells HospitalSells · 10.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careUnited Community Health Center-Maria AuxiliadoraTucson · 34.8 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
34.8 mi
United Community Health Center-Maria Auxiliadora
6 sites · nearest in Tucson
United Community Health Center at Three PointsTucson · 34.8 mi
United Community Health Center at ArivacaArivaca · 39.4 mi
United Community Health Center at AmadoAmado · 49.4 mi
United Community Health Center at Green ValleyGreen Valley · 51.1 mi
United Community Health Center at Sahuarita Pediatric Behavioral HealthSahuarita · 51.4 mi
United Community Health Center at La Canada PediatricsSahuarita · 51.4 mi
Nothing matches.
✓ Primary careSells is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careSells is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthSells is not a shortage area
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Sells. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
All 40 measures for Sells
| Measure | Sells | Margin | Arizona | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 41.7% | 38.9–44.6% | 32.8% | worse |
| High cholesterol | 36.2% | 33.7–38.9% | 37.3% | about the same |
| Obesity | 45.3% | 40.8–49.8% | 31.3% | worse |
| Arthritis | 30.4% | 28.1–32.7% | 25.2% | worse |
| Depression | 30.3% | 27.2–33.5% | 19.5% | worse |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 46.6% | 40.9–51.7% | 14.7% | worse |
| Asthma | 17.7% | 15.9–19.7% | 10.4% | worse |
| Cancer (not skin) | 6% | 5.4–6.6% | 8.8% | better |
| Diabetes | 19.9% | 17.9–22.1% | 11.3% | worse |
| COPD | 15% | 12.9–17.3% | 6.6% | worse |
| Heart disease | 9.8% | 8.7–11% | 6.4% | worse |
| Stroke | 6.7% | 5.9–7.6% | 3.4% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 34.5% | 29.9–39.2% | 11.4% | worse |
| Binge drink | 13% | 11.1–15.1% | 15.3% | better |
| Get no exercise | 38.2% | 33.6–43% | 21.9% | worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 51.6% | 47.3–55.6% | 35.2% | worse |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 72.6% | 69.3–75.7% | 73.9% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 26.4% | 24–28.9% | 59.9% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 74.1% | 70.6–77.5% | 85.1% | worse |
| Colon screening | 41.3% | 37.4–45.2% | 60.2% | worse |
| Mammogram | 54.2% | 46.9–60.7% | 72.7% | worse |
| Taking BP meds | 68.7% | 65.9–71.4% | 73.9% | worse |
| No health insurance | 16.5% | 12.7–20.8% | 13.2% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 40.2% | 36.3–44.2% | 32% | worse |
| Lack emotional support | 37.3% | 33.3–41.6% | 25.7% | worse |
| Frequent mental distress | 28.9% | 26.1–31.8% | 15.4% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 42.5% | 37.7–47.4% | 19.5% | worse |
| Frequent physical distress | 25.6% | 22.8–28.6% | 13% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 51% | 44.7–57.3% | 15.8% | worse |
| Housing insecurity | 33.2% | 28.9–38% | 12% | worse |
| Utility shut-off threat | 28.8% | 25.4–32.4% | 7.2% | worse |
| No reliable transportation | 31.4% | 27.5–35.5% | 8.7% | worse |
| Receive SNAP | 48.7% | 42.5–55.1% | 11.1% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 56.1% | 51.3–60.6% | 31.5% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 28.7% | 25.5–32.1% | 13.8% | |
| Thinking or memory | 30.4% | 26.5–34.3% | 14.2% | |
| Hearing | 13.7% | 12.3–15.3% | 8.1% | |
| Vision | 16.9% | 14.7–19.3% | 5.5% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 9.7% | 8.4–11.3% | 3.7% | |
| Errands alone | 20.4% | 17.6–23.4% | 7.6% | |
About these numbers
How CDC estimates town health
They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Sells door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Arizona figure falls inside it, we don't call Sells better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Sells directly, so these are its own figures.
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Arizona figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.