Photo: Elnogalense · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Rio Rico is healthier than 66%
Rio Rico differs from Arizona on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Rio Rico. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Rio Rico
Making ends meet is harder in Rio Rico
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (26%), vs 15.8% across Arizona. Housing insecurity (20.2% vs 12%) and utility shut-off threats (11.8% vs 7.2%) are higher too. 18.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Rio Rico adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.9%), vs 21.9% across Arizona. There are 45 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
1 in 4 working-age adults in Rio Rico has no health insurance
24.9% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 13.2% across Arizona. Checkups ↓
Rio Rico is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Rio Rico is healthier than 44%. Against the 9,273 towns with similar household incomes ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 66%. 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 Rio Rico’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Rio Rico’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rio Rico is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns, #94 of 140 in Arizona. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 83% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Rio Rico’s median household income is $61,348; among the 9,273 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 66%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Rio Rico compares well: arthritis, 21.4% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.9% (U.S. 7.9%); ever told they have depression, 16% (U.S. 20.6%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.6% of Rio Rico adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
Everyday habits, side by side with Arizona
Share of adults, with the Arizona figure marked.
45 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Rio Rico adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
Out of every 100 Rio Rico adults…
Rio Rico runs below AZ on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Rio Rico residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Arizona. COPD, arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Rio Rico
1 community health center in Rio Rico, 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 Rio Rico; ≈ 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 Rio Rico adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Rio Rico does better than Arizona.
3 in 10 Rio Rico 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.
Rio Rico and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Rico | C+ | 34.8% | 14.3% | 11.3% | CDC place |
| Tumacacori-Carmen | — | — | — | — |
Tumacacori-Carmen: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Rio Rico adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Rio Rico
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Rio Rico is better than Arizona on 4 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Arizona figure falls inside Rio Rico’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Rio Rico | AZ | U.S. | vs AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.5%23.4–29.6 | 19.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.5–17 | 13% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13–16.6 | 15.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.8%28.1–41.4 | 31.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.3%12.5–16.2 | 11.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 32.9%29–36.6 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.2%33.2–41.2 | 37.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.4%18.6–24.1 | 25.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.4%8.3–10.5 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.9%5.3–6.5 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.5–6.8 | 6.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.6%4.9–6.3 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.6%11.2–16.1 | 14.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.3%9.6–13.1 | 11.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.9%25.7–34.3 | 21.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.7%12–17.7 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.7%30.7–42.5 | 35.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 24.9%21.5–28.6 | 13.2% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 72%67.8–75.9 | 73.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 49.7%46–53.3 | 59.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.6%81.5–85.7 | 85.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.7%69.2–75.8 | 73.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 51.5%46.1–56.6 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.3%63–78.4 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16%13.4–18.8 | 19.5% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 29.2%25–33.9 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.6%24–31.7 | 25.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 26%22.5–29.8 | 15.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.2%17.5–23.2 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.8%10.3–13.6 | 7.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.4%10.8–14.1 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.6%15.8–21.6 | 11.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.9%30.7–39 | 31.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.1%14.1–18.2 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.1%14.1–18 | 14.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%6.9–8.7 | 8.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 9%8.1–9.9 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%7.6–9.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 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 Rio Rico
Is Rio Rico a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rio Rico is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #94 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 Rio Rico?
CDC estimates 34.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.1% and 41.4%, against 31.3% across Arizona and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Rio Rico?
Holy Cross Hospital in Nogales, 11.0 miles in a straight line from Rio Rico’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Rio Rico have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 24.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 21.5–28.6%), 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 Rio Rico more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Rio Rico.
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.