Photo: Marine 69-71 · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, New River is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns
New River differs from Arizona on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for New River. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in New River
Against towns with similar incomes, New River’s lead shrinks
New River is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, but 63% of the 4,117 towns with similar household incomes ($101K–$168K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
New River keeps up with checkups
It beats Arizona on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (68.7% vs 59.9%) and cholesterol checks (89.3% vs 85.1%). Checkups ↓
Cancer runs high in New River
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11%), vs 8.8% across Arizona. Conditions ↓
Fewer New River adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Arizona. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 New River’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind New River’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, New River is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, #23 of 140 in Arizona. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 93% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 74%.
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). New River’s median household income is $134,289; among the 4,117 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($101K–$168K), it’s healthier than 63%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of New River adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
Out of every 100 New River adults…
New River runs below AZ on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.5% of New River adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
Care in and near New River
No hospital or community health center in New River 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 New River; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Arizona
Share of adults, with the Arizona figure marked.
128 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
How New River adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, New River does better than Arizona.
3 in 10 New River 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.
New River and the towns around it
New River’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 4 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New River | A | 29.4% | 10.5% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| Phoenix | B+ | 32.3% | 10.8% | 12.2% | CDC place |
| Anthem | A+ | 27.3% | 9.7% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| Cave Creek | A | 27.5% | 12% | 8.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of New River adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for New River
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, New River is better than Arizona on 12 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Arizona figure falls inside New River’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | New River | AZ | U.S. | vs AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.5%13.8–17.2 | 19.5% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.9%10.7–13.1 | 13% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.6–15.4 | 15.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.4%26–33 | 31.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.5%9.4–11.6 | 11.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.8%31.4–36.3 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.7%38–43.3 | 37.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 28.4%26.2–30.6 | 25.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.4–11.4 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%10.2–11.9 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 6.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.4%5.6–7.2 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.4%6.2–8.8 | 14.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.9%9.3–12.6 | 11.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 17.3%15–19.6 | 21.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16%14.2–17.9 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.9%29.7–36.3 | 35.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.1%6.1–8.2 | 13.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.3%73.9–78.5 | 73.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.7%66.2–71.1 | 59.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.3%88.1–90.4 | 85.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.2%73.5–78.6 | 73.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.4%64.3–70.5 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.8%72.3–81 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.5%17.5–21.6 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.3%26.7–32 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.6%20.4–25 | 25.7% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.4%8.2–10.8 | 15.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.3%6.4–8.4 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.4%3.8–5 | 7.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.9–6.3 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.5%5.5–7.7 | 11.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.3%24.8–29.8 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.4%11.1–13.8 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.7%10.4–13 | 14.2% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.8–8.3 | 8.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.2%5.5–6.9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 3.7% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 New River
Is New River a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, New River is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns: A for health, #23 of 140 in Arizona. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 63%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in New River?
CDC estimates 29.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 26% and 33%, against 31.3% across Arizona and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to New River?
Honorhealth Sonoran Crossing Medical Center in Phoenix, 7.1 miles in a straight line from New River’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in New River have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–8.2%), 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 New River more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in New River.
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.