Photo: Seth Eastman (1808–1875) · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Fort Defiance is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns
Fort Defiance differs from Arizona on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 22 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fort Defiance. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fort Defiance
Smoking is more common in Fort Defiance
1 in 4 adults smoke cigarettes (24.4%), about twice the Arizona rate. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Fort Defiance
1 in 5 adults were threatened with a utility shut-off (20.7%), 3 times the Arizona rate. Food insecurity (37.4% vs 15.8%) and no reliable transportation (21.7% vs 8.7%) are higher too. 31% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Fort Defiance
42.8% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 59.9% across Arizona. Among those 65 and older, 27.2% have lost all their teeth (Arizona 14.7%). 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 Fort Defiance’s likely range.
What’s behind Fort Defiance’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Defiance is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns, #132 of 140 in Arizona. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 46% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Fort Defiance’s median household income is $56,045; among the 7,736 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 13%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Fort Defiance compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 31.5% (U.S. 37.1%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.5% (U.S. 7.9%); binge drinking, 12.7% (U.S. 15.4%).
Everyday habits, side by side with Arizona
Share of adults, with the Arizona figure marked.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
31% of Fort Defiance adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
Keeping up with care
Share of Fort Defiance adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
Out of every 100 Fort Defiance adults…
Fort Defiance runs below AZ on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 7. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Fort Defiance residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Arizona. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Fort Defiance
No hospital or community health center in Fort Defiance itself. These are the nearest.
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 Fort Defiance; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Fort Defiance adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Fort Defiance runs above Arizona.
4 in 10 Fort Defiance 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.
Fort Defiance and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Defiance | D | 36.7% | 17.2% | 24.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fort Defiance adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fort Defiance
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fort Defiance is better than Arizona on 3 and worse on 22; on the rest, the Arizona figure falls inside Fort Defiance’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fort Defiance | AZ | U.S. | vs AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 32.5%28.4–36.6 | 19.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.5%18.1–22.9 | 13% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 22.6%20.1–25.1 | 15.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.7%31.9–41.7 | 31.3% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 17.2%15.3–19.2 | 11.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%31.3–37.4 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.5%28.6–34.4 | 37.3% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 26.3%23.8–28.7 | 25.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 15.1%13.5–16.7 | 10.4% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.5%5.8–7.2 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.4%7.4–9.4 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.1%9.4–12.7 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.7%5–6.4 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 27.2%23.4–31.3 | 14.7% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 24.4%20.5–28.3 | 11.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.7%24.5–32.8 | 21.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.7%10.7–15 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.2%38.2–48.6 | 35.2% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.9%11–17.6 | 13.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.7%67.4–74.2 | 73.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 42.8%39.3–46.4 | 59.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.3%74.4–80.3 | 85.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.3%70.5–76 | 73.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 44.5%40–49.3 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 57.9%49.7–65.7 | 72.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.6%18–23.5 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36%31.9–39.8 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 37.9%33.6–42 | 25.7% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 37.4%32–42.8 | 15.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 26.3%22.3–30.1 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 20.7%17.7–23.3 | 7.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 21.7%18.7–24.8 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 31%25.9–36 | 11.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 44.5%40–49 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.4%18.7–24.2 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 22.2%19.3–25.2 | 14.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 12%10.7–13.3 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 12.2%10.7–13.9 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.8%12.8–16.9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.1%6.1–8.2 | 3.7% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Fort Defiance
Is Fort Defiance a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Defiance is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns: D for health, #132 of 140 in Arizona. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 13%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fort Defiance?
CDC estimates 36.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.9% and 41.7%, against 31.3% across Arizona and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fort Defiance?
Fort Defiance Indian Hospital in Ft. Defiance, 13.3 miles in a straight line from Fort Defiance’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Fort Defiance have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11–17.6%), 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 Fort Defiance more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Fort Defiance.
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.