Sunflower Ranger Staiton · Photo: Matthew.kowal · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Tonto Basin is healthier than 79%
Tonto Basin differs from Arizona on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Tonto Basin. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Tonto Basin
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Tonto Basin
1 in 7 adults have COPD (13.4%), about twice the Arizona rate. 1 in 8 adults have heart disease (12.6%), about twice the Arizona rate. Stroke is also above the state: 6.3%, vs 3.4% across Arizona. In all, Tonto Basin runs above Arizona on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 50% of residents are 65 or older (Arizona 19%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Tonto Basin, and more people treating it
47.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Arizona 32.8%), but 85.1% of them take medicine for it, vs 73.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
The nearest ER is 35 miles from Tonto Basin
The closest emergency room is Banner Goldfield Medical Center in Apache Junction, 34.6 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Elk Ridge - Payson is closer (26.8 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
In Tonto Basin, insurance isn’t the gap
Only 8.5% of working-age adults are uninsured (Arizona 13.2%), yet 24% say their health is fair or poor, vs 19.5% across the state. Checkups ↓
Tonto Basin is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Tonto Basin is healthier than 42%. Against the 6,052 towns with similar household incomes ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 79%. 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 Tonto Basin’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
What’s behind Tonto Basin’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tonto Basin is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 95% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 6%).
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). Tonto Basin’s median household income is $50,762; among the 6,052 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 79%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Tonto Basin compares well: binge drinking, 10.6% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 82.9% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 92.2% (U.S. 87.1%).
Out of every 100 Tonto Basin adults…
Tonto Basin runs above AZ on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Tonto Basin is an older town: 50% 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 Tonto Basin as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Tonto Basin adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
Care in and near Tonto Basin
No hospital or community health center in Tonto Basin 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 Tonto Basin; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Arizona
Share of adults, with the Arizona figure marked.
How Tonto Basin adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Tonto Basin does better than Arizona.
3 in 10 Tonto Basin 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.
9.4% of Tonto Basin adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
Tonto Basin and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tonto Basin | C+ | 29.8% | 17.1% | 14.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Tonto Basin adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Tonto Basin
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Tonto Basin is better than Arizona on 11 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Arizona figure falls inside Tonto Basin’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Tonto Basin | AZ | U.S. | vs AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24%19.8–29 | 19.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%15.6–21.2 | 13% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%11–14.5 | 15.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.8%25.6–34.6 | 31.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17.1%14.8–19.5 | 11.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 47.5%43.8–51.4 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 47.8%44.2–51.5 | 37.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 44.3%40.8–47.9 | 25.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.4–12 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 16.2%14.7–18 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 12.6%10.9–14.6 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 13.4%10.8–16.3 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.3%5.3–7.4 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.9%10.6–15.6 | 14.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.6%11.5–18.2 | 11.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.2%22.6–32.4 | 21.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 10.6%8.9–12.5 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.3%27.2–35.8 | 35.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.5%6.3–11.3 | 13.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.9%80.3–85.2 | 73.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.7%53.1–60.2 | 59.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.2%90.8–93.5 | 85.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 85.1%82.4–87.5 | 73.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69%64.6–73 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 63.3%55.8–70.4 | 72.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.1%16.6–21.8 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.6%24.7–32.7 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.6%21.7–29.6 | 25.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.7%9–15 | 15.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.2%5.8–8.8 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.2–6.2 | 7.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.1%4.9–7.3 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.4%6.9–12.2 | 11.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.6%34.7–45.1 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.4%18.6–26.5 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.1%11–15.7 | 14.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 14.5%12.8–16.5 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.6%5.5–8 | 5.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%7.6–11.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%4.4–6.7 | 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 Tonto Basin
Is Tonto Basin a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tonto Basin is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns: C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Tonto Basin?
CDC estimates 29.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.6% and 34.6%, against 31.3% across Arizona and 32.9% nationally.
How many people in Tonto Basin have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.3–11.3%), 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 Tonto Basin 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 Tonto Basin.
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.