Photo: The original uploader was Tillman at English Wikipedia. · CC BY 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Ajo is healthier than 91%
Ajo differs from Arizona on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ajo. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ajo
The nearest ER is 58 miles from Ajo
The closest emergency room is Sells Hospital in Sells, 57.6 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Desert Senita Community Health Center is closer (1.6 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Ajo is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Ajo is healthier than 60%. Against the 7,107 towns with similar household incomes ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 91%. Health Grade ↓
Heart disease, cancer and stroke run high in Ajo
1 in 11 adults have heart disease (8.9%), vs 6.4% across Arizona. 1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.2%), vs 8.8% across Arizona. Stroke is also above the state: 4.5%, vs 3.4% across Arizona. In all, Ajo runs above Arizona on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 43% of residents are 65 or older (Arizona 19%), and heart disease, cancer and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Ajo, and more people treating it
40.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Arizona 32.8%), but 79.2% of them take medicine for it, vs 73.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
Ajo keeps up with checkups
It beats Arizona on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (79.5% vs 73.9%) and cholesterol checks (89% vs 85.1%). Checkups ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Arizona figure falls outside Ajo’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
What’s behind Ajo’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ajo is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, #69 of 140 in Arizona. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 89% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 27%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Ajo’s median household income is $53,958; among the 7,107 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 91%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Ajo
1 community health center in Ajo, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Ajo; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Ajo adults…
Ajo runs above AZ on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Ajo is an older town: 43% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Arizona. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Ajo as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ajo adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
Everyday habits, side by side with Arizona
Share of adults, with the Arizona figure marked.
57 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
How Ajo adults are doing
About the same as Arizona on each measure.
3 in 10 Ajo adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.1% of Ajo adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
Ajo and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajo | B | 31% | 13.7% | 10.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ajo adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ajo
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ajo is better than Arizona on 7 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Arizona figure falls inside Ajo’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ajo | AZ | U.S. | vs AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.6%18.4–24.9 | 19.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.1–17.1 | 13% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.5–15.8 | 15.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31%26.9–34.9 | 31.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.7%12–15.5 | 11.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.9%37.8–43.8 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43.7%40.7–46.7 | 37.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 32.3%29.7–34.9 | 25.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.4–11.7 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.2%11–13.3 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.9%7.8–10.1 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.3%6.7–10 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%3.9–5.2 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.5%11.2–16 | 14.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.4%8.5–12.4 | 11.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.3%20.7–28.1 | 21.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 11.9%10.2–13.5 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.6%32–39.4 | 35.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13%10.4–15.8 | 13.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.5%76.9–81.6 | 73.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.9%55.8–61.8 | 59.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89%87.3–90.4 | 85.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76.7–81.4 | 73.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.6%62–69.1 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72%66.4–77.1 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.7%18.4–23.1 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.3%27.1–33.6 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.8%21.8–27.9 | 25.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.1%10.8–15.7 | 15.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.6%8.1–11.2 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.4–7.4 | 7.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.5–8.8 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.1%7.3–11.3 | 11.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.8%32.9–40.7 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.8%15.2–20.6 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.5%11.7–15.5 | 14.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.2%9.9–12.5 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.4–7.3 | 5.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.9%6.7–9.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.6–4.9 | 3.7% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Arizona figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Ajo
Is Ajo a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ajo is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #69 of 140 in Arizona. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ajo?
CDC estimates 31% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.9% and 34.9%, against 31.3% across Arizona and 32.9% nationally.
How many people in Ajo have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.4–15.8%), against 13.2% across Arizona.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Ajo more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Ajo.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Arizona figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.