Health · Belen

Belen, NM health

Belen differs from New Mexico on 15 of 40 measures. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (76.8% vs 73.3%). Where it trails the state: more uninsured adults (22.2% vs 15.6%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Belen

C-Health Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

C⁻

Belen’s Health Grade: C−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Belen is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns, and than 60% of towns with similar incomes.

D-Self-rated healthD-Physical distressB-Mental distressC+ObesityDDiabetesC+SmokingDExercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 17%

Less healthyHealthier

New Mexico towns we grade (163)Healthier than 27%

Towns with similar incomes, $32K–$53K (3,092)Healthier than 60%

Better than its income would suggest. Belen is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C−.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Belen could be anywhere from D− to C+.

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 New Mexico 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 Belen 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. Belen 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 Belen compares with New Mexico

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

Out of every 100 Belen adults…

39 of every 100 Belen adults have high blood pressure

New Mexico: 34 in 100 · worse · margin 34.7–43.3%

Bars show Belen; the black tick is New Mexico. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Belen, betterBelen, worseToo close to callNew Mexico

Get no exerciseshare of adults 34.5% Belen
NM 25.6%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 34.4% Belen
NM 32.7%

Binge drinkshare of adults 11.9% Belen
NM 13.7%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 15.6% Belen
NM 13.4%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Belen adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.

Yearly checkup

NM 69%

Dentist visit

NM 61%

Cholesterol check

NM 83%

Colon screening

NM 58%

Mammogram

NM 70%

Taking BP meds

NM 73%

1 in 5

working-age adults has no health insurance

Belen 22.2% · New Mexico 1 in 6 (15.6%)

Mind & connection

How Belen adults are doing

1 in 3Belen adults feel lonely

35.3% · New Mexico 34.1% · too close to call

1 in 4Belen adults have been diagnosed with depression

22.6% · New Mexico 23.2% · too close to call

1 in 4Belen adults lack social or emotional support

26.6% · New Mexico 24.5% · too close to call

1 in 6Belen adults are in frequent mental distress

16.9% · New Mexico 16.1% · too close to call

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 3

Belen adults worry about having enough food

29.2% · NM 20.9% · worse

1 in 5

Belen adults worry about keeping their housing

21.5% · NM 16.5% · worse

1 in 7

Belen adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

14.5% · NM 11.2% · worse

1 in 7

Belen adults lack reliable transportation

14.1% · NM 11% · worse

24.8% of Belen adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.

Disability

Living with a disability

42%

of Belen adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs21.5%

Thinking or memory18.6%

Hearing10.4%

Errands alone11.9%

Vision10.5%

Dressing or bathing6.9%

Black tick: New Mexico. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Belen

Belen and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Belen.

33.8%37.8%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#8 of 8towns on this map, healthiest first

Pueblitos34.6%

Los Chaves34.8%

Jarales36%

Sausal37.3%

Belen37.8%

Care in and near Belen

1 community health center in Belen, plus the nearest outside it. Nearest first.

VA New Mexico Healthcare SystemAlbuquerque · 23.8 mi · ★★★★★ · ER · VA Directions Medicare profile

Presbyterian HospitalAlbuquerque · 23.9 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Lovelace Medical CenterAlbuquerque · 24 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Unm HospitalAlbuquerque · 24.7 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Fcch/Los Lunas CenterLos Lunas · 5 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Pms - Veguita Family Health CenterVeguita · 22.1 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary careBelen's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Valencia County · need score 19 of 25

! Dental careBelen's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Valencia County · need score 17 of 25

! Mental healthBelen's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Valencia County · need score 17 of 25

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Belen. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Belen

Measure	Belen	Margin	New Mexico
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	39%	34.7–43.3%	34.3%	worse
High cholesterol	38%	33.6–42.6%	35.1%	about the same
Obesity	37.8%	30.5–45.7%	34.1%	about the same
Arthritis	28.9%	25.4–32.3%	25.6%	about the same
Depression	22.6%	19–26.3%	23.2%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	16.4%	13.5–19.5%	14.2%	about the same
Asthma	10%	8.7–11.3%	9.9%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	7.3%	6.6–8%	7.4%	about the same
Diabetes	17.9%	15.5–20.2%	13.2%	worse
COPD	8.7%	7.6–9.8%	6.6%	worse
Heart disease	9.2%	8.3–10.2%	7.2%	worse
Stroke	4.9%	4.5–5.4%	3.8%	worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	15.6%	13.4–18.1%	13.4%	about the same
Binge drink	11.9%	9.5–14.5%	13.7%	about the same
Get no exercise	34.5%	29.5–39.8%	25.6%	worse
Sleep under 7 hours	34.4%	28.8–40.5%	32.7%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	70%	65.4–74.1%	69%	about the same
Dentist visit	55.3%	51.4–59.1%	61.4%	worse
Cholesterol check	82.3%	80.1–84.6%	83.4%	about the same
Colon screening	55.8%	50.6–61.2%	57.5%	about the same
Mammogram	67.7%	59.2–75.5%	70.3%	about the same
Taking BP meds	76.8%	73.6–79.6%	73.3%	better
No health insurance	22.2%	18.7–25.9%	15.6%	worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	35.3%	29.3–41.7%	34.1%	about the same
Lack emotional support	26.6%	22.2–31.3%	24.5%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	16.9%	14.9–19.1%	16.1%	about the same
Fair or poor health	32.2%	28.7–36%	24%	worse
Frequent physical distress	19.2%	17.1–21.6%	15.5%	worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	29.2%	25–33.5%	20.9%	worse
Housing insecurity	21.5%	18.3–24.7%	16.5%	worse
Utility shut-off threat	14.5%	12.4–16.7%	11.2%	worse
No reliable transportation	14.1%	12.2–16.1%	11%	worse
Receive SNAP	24.8%	21–28.6%	16.9%
Disability
Any disability	42%	37.2–46.8%	34%
Walking or climbing stairs	21.5%	19–24.3%	15.5%
Thinking or memory	18.6%	16.4–21%	15.5%
Hearing	10.4%	9.2–11.6%	8.5%
Vision	10.5%	9.5–11.6%	7.2%
Dressing or bathing	6.9%	6.3–7.7%	4.7%
Errands alone	11.9%	10.5–13.3%	9.3%

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 Belen door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the New Mexico figure falls inside it, we don't call Belen better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Belen directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Mexico 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.