Photo: Salvador Vitanza · CC BY-SA 2.5Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Nogales is healthier than 73%
Nogales differs from Arizona on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Nogales. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Nogales
More Nogales adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (37.7%), vs 21.9% across Arizona. There are 58 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Nogales
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (33.7%), about twice the Arizona rate. Housing insecurity (23.6% vs 12%) and utility shut-off threats (14% vs 7.2%) are higher too. 25.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Nogales
42.8% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 59.9% across Arizona. Among those 65 and older, 20.9% have lost all their teeth (Arizona 14.7%). Checkups ↓
Nogales is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Nogales is healthier than 26%. Against the 3,399 towns with similar household incomes ($32K–$54K), it’s healthier than 73%. Health Grade ↓
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 Nogales’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
What’s behind Nogales’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nogales is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns, #115 of 140 in Arizona. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 77% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Nogales’ median household income is $43,214; among the 3,399 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($32K–$54K), it’s healthier than 73%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Nogales compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.1% (U.S. 7.9%); binge drinking, 12.5% (U.S. 15.4%); ever told they have depression, 15.8% (U.S. 20.6%).
Everyday habits, side by side with Arizona
Share of adults, with the Arizona figure marked.
58 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
25.6% of Nogales adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
Keeping up with care
Share of Nogales adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
Out of every 100 Nogales adults…
Nogales runs below AZ on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Nogales
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Nogales, 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 Nogales; ≈ 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).
How Nogales adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Nogales does better than Arizona.
3 in 10 Nogales 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.
Nogales and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nogales | C | 36.6% | 19% | 12.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Nogales adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Nogales
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Nogales is better than Arizona on 3 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Arizona figure falls inside Nogales’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Nogales | AZ | U.S. | vs AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 34.3%30.5–38 | 19.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.4–20.7 | 13% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.4–17.2 | 15.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.6%30–43.4 | 31.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 19%16.7–21.3 | 11.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.9%34–41.8 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.6%36.4–44.8 | 37.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25%22–27.9 | 25.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.4–10.8 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.1%5.5–6.7 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.4%7.6–9.4 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.3%6.4–8.2 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.3–5.2 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.9%17.4–24.6 | 14.7% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.7%10.8–14.7 | 11.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 37.7%32.7–42.8 | 21.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.5%10.2–15 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37%31–42.9 | 35.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 30.8%26.8–34.9 | 13.2% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.2%69.2–76.8 | 73.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 42.8%39–46.4 | 59.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.4%80.3–84.4 | 85.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.4%73.4–79 | 73.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 49.9%44.2–55 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.7%59.8–76 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.8%13.1–18.5 | 19.5% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 30.5%26–35.3 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.1%25.4–33.4 | 25.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 33.7%29.9–37.7 | 15.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 23.6%20.7–26.7 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14%12.3–15.8 | 7.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 15.4%13.7–17.3 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 25.6%22.5–28.8 | 11.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 42.5%37.8–47.2 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.5%19.9–25.2 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.6%16.4–20.9 | 14.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.5%9.4–11.7 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 13%11.8–14.3 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.3%10–12.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.5%6.7–8.2 | 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 Nogales
Is Nogales a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nogales is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns: C for health, #115 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 Nogales?
CDC estimates 36.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 30% and 43.4%, against 31.3% across Arizona and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Nogales?
Holy Cross Hospital in Nogales, 2.0 miles in a straight line from Nogales’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Nogales have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 30.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 26.8–34.9%), 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 Nogales 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 Nogales.
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.