Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Within Colorado, Alamosa is healthier than 18% of graded towns
Alamosa differs from Colorado on 11 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Alamosa. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Alamosa
Colorado sets a high bar
Alamosa is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns, but only 18% of the 159 Colorado towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
More Alamosa adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (23.8%), vs 17.7% across Colorado. There are 12 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
1 in 5 working-age adults in Alamosa has no health insurance
19.2% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 11.1% across Colorado. Checkups ↓
Dental care lags in Alamosa
57.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.6% across Colorado. Among those 65 and older, 12.3% have lost all their teeth (Colorado 9.2%). Checkups ↓
Alamosa is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Alamosa is healthier than 58%. Against the 5,683 towns with similar household incomes ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 93%. 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 Colorado figure falls outside Alamosa’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Alamosa’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alamosa is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns, #130 of 159 in Colorado. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 82% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 28%).
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). Alamosa’s median household income is $49,688; among the 5,683 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 93%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Everyday habits, side by side with Colorado
Share of adults, with the Colorado figure marked.
12 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Alamosa adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
Out of every 100 Alamosa adults…
Alamosa runs below CO on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Alamosa
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Alamosa, 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 Alamosa; ≈ 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 Alamosa adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Alamosa runs above Colorado.
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.
Alamosa and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamosa | B | 30.4% | 10.8% | 12.4% | CDC place |
| Alamosa East | B− | 32.8% | 13.8% | 13.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Alamosa adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Alamosa
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Alamosa is better than Colorado on 1 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside Alamosa’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Alamosa | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.6%18.9–24.6 | 15.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.7–16.2 | 11.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%16.2–20.6 | 16% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.4%23.2–38.2 | 26.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.8%9.3–12.4 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 27.5%23.9–31.2 | 27% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.7%26.7–34.8 | 31.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.3%19.5–25.1 | 22.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.8–12.5 | 10.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.1%5.5–6.8 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 5.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.9%5.2–6.7 | 5.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.9–3.4 | 2.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.3%9.9–15.1 | 9.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.4%10.7–14.5 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.8%19.6–28.2 | 17.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%13.5–20 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.2%25.7–39.3 | 30.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 19.2%16.3–22.3 | 11.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 68.8%64.4–73.2 | 71.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.1%53.1–61 | 64.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.6%78–83 | 85.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.3%66–72.4 | 69.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.1%54.6–65.5 | 62.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68%58.6–76.4 | 71.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.6%19.1–26.3 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.3%28.9–37.9 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.5%11.8–15.4 | 10.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.1%16–20.4 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.3–8 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6.3–7.7 | 4.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%8.1–10.3 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.9–4.7 | 2.9% | 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 Colorado figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Alamosa
Is Alamosa a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alamosa is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #130 of 159 in Colorado. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 93%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Alamosa?
CDC estimates 30.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.2% and 38.2%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Alamosa?
San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center in Alamosa, 0.4 miles in a straight line from Alamosa’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Alamosa have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 19.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 16.3–22.3%), against 11.1% across Colorado.
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 Alamosa more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Alamosa.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Colorado 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.