Health · La Luz

La Luz, NM health

La Luz differs from New Mexico on 15 of 40 measures. It has fewer uninsured adults (11.8% vs 15.6%) and fewer adults facing housing insecurity (13.2% vs 16.5%). Where it trails the state: more adults with COPD (8.5% vs 6.6%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for La Luz
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

La Luz’s Health Grade: C+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, La Luz is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns, and than 83% of towns with similar incomes.

C-Self-rated healthC-Physical distressA-Mental distressB-ObesityC-DiabetesB-SmokingB-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 39%
Less healthyHealthier
New Mexico towns we grade (163)Healthier than 53%
Towns with similar incomes, $35K–$58K (4,284)Healthier than 83%

Better than its income would suggest. La Luz 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, La Luz could be anywhere from D to B+.
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 La Luz 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. La Luz 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 La Luz 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 La Luz adults…

41 of every 100 La Luz adults have high blood pressure
New Mexico: 34 in 100 · worse · margin 36.3–45%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

La Luz, betterLa Luz, worseToo close to callNew Mexico
Get no exerciseshare of adults 25.1% La Luz
NM 25.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 32.2% La Luz
NM 32.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 12.7% La Luz
NM 13.7%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 14.9% La Luz
NM 13.4%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

74%
Yearly checkup
NM 69%
65%
Dentist visit
NM 61%
87%
Cholesterol check
NM 83%
62%
Colon screening
NM 58%
73%
Mammogram
NM 70%
79%
Taking BP meds
NM 73%
1 in 8
working-age adults has no health insurance
La Luz 11.8% · New Mexico 1 in 6 (15.6%)
Mind & connection

How La Luz adults are doing

1 in 3La Luz adults feel lonely
31.5% · New Mexico 34.1% · too close to call
1 in 4La Luz adults have been diagnosed with depression
23% · New Mexico 23.2% · too close to call
1 in 4La Luz adults lack social or emotional support
22.5% · New Mexico 24.5% · too close to call
1 in 7La Luz adults are in frequent mental distress
15% · 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 6
La Luz adults worry about having enough food
17.3% · NM 20.9% · better
1 in 8
La Luz adults worry about keeping their housing
13.2% · NM 16.5% · better
1 in 10
La Luz adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.6% · NM 11.2% · better
1 in 11
La Luz adults lack reliable transportation
8.8% · NM 11% · better

15% of La Luz adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.

Disability

Living with a disability

35.1%

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

Walking or climbing stairs17.8%
Thinking or memory14.7%
Hearing10.1%
Errands alone9.5%
Vision6.9%
Dressing or bathing5.1%

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

Getting care

Care in and near La Luz

No hospital or community health center in La Luz itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERChristus Southern New MexicoAlamogordo · 3.2 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyThree Crosses Regional Hospital★★★★★ · 65.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost carePresbyterian Medical ServicesAlamogordo · 4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
3.2 mi
Christus Southern New Mexico
Alamogordo · ★★★★★
ER
4 mi
Presbyterian Medical Services
5 sites · nearest in Alamogordo
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
7.7 mi
Ben Archer Health Center
2 sites · nearest in Alamogordo
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
30.2 mi
Lincoln County Medical Center
Ruidoso · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
64 mi
Mountain View Regional Medical Center
Las Cruces · ★★★★★
ER
65.7 mi
Three Crosses Regional Hospital
Las Cruces · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careLa Luz's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Otero County · need score 18 of 25
! Dental careLa Luz's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Otero County · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthLa Luz's county is a federal shortage area.Southeastern Catchment Area · need score 13 of 25

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 La Luz. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for La Luz
MeasureLa LuzMarginNew Mexico
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure40.6%36.3–45%34.3%worse
High cholesterol40.1%35.5–44.6%35.1%worse
Obesity37%30.2–43.8%34.1%about the same
Arthritis31.3%27.7–34.8%25.6%worse
Depression23%19.5–26.5%23.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)12%9.7–14.6%14.2%about the same
Asthma9.8%8.6–11.1%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.5%8.6–10.5%7.4%worse
Diabetes14.8%12.7–16.9%13.2%about the same
COPD8.5%7.3–9.8%6.6%worse
Heart disease9%8–10.1%7.2%worse
Stroke4.7%4.2–5.2%3.8%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes14.9%12.5–17.5%13.4%about the same
Binge drink12.7%10.3–15.4%13.7%about the same
Get no exercise25.1%20.8–29.5%25.6%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours32.2%27–38.1%32.7%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup74%70.1–77.8%69%better
Dentist visit64.8%61.4–68.5%61.4%about the same
Cholesterol check86.9%85.2–88.7%83.4%better
Colon screening62.1%56.8–67.4%57.5%about the same
Mammogram72.6%65.1–79.6%70.3%about the same
Taking BP meds79.2%76–82.1%73.3%better
No health insurance11.8%9.8–13.9%15.6%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely31.5%26.9–36.3%34.1%about the same
Lack emotional support22.5%19.3–26.1%24.5%about the same
Frequent mental distress15%13.2–17%16.1%about the same
Fair or poor health23.7%20.6–27%24%about the same
Frequent physical distress16.2%14.3–18.3%15.5%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity17.3%14.8–20.1%20.9%better
Housing insecurity13.2%11.3–15.2%16.5%better
Utility shut-off threat9.6%8.3–11.1%11.2%better
No reliable transportation8.8%7.7–9.9%11%better
Receive SNAP15%12.7–17.4%16.9%
Disability
Any disability35.1%30.7–39.5%34%
Walking or climbing stairs17.8%15.4–20.2%15.5%
Thinking or memory14.7%12.7–16.6%15.5%
Hearing10.1%8.9–11.3%8.5%
Vision6.9%6.2–7.6%7.2%
Dressing or bathing5.1%4.6–5.7%4.7%
Errands alone9.5%8.3–10.7%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 La Luz 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 La Luz better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes La Luz 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/19 · 2025-01-01