Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, La Junta is healthier than 57%
La Junta differs from Colorado on 17 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for La Junta. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in La Junta
More La Junta adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (28%), vs 17.7% across Colorado. Habits ↓
Diabetes, stroke and COPD run high in La Junta
1 in 7 adults have diabetes (13.9%), vs 8.6% across Colorado. 1 in 23 adults have had a stroke (4.3%), vs 2.7% across Colorado. COPD is also above the state: 8.4%, vs 5.3% across Colorado. In all, La Junta runs above Colorado on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in La Junta
52.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.6% across Colorado. Among those 65 and older, 15.7% have lost all their teeth (Colorado 9.2%). Checkups ↓
La Junta is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, La Junta is healthier than 28%. Against the 6,568 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 57%. 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 La Junta’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind La Junta’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Junta is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns, #157 of 159 in Colorado. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 62% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). La Junta’s median household income is $52,315; among the 6,568 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 57%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Colorado towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state La Junta is healthier than 1% of graded towns, against 28% nationally.
Everyday habits, side by side with Colorado
Share of adults, with the Colorado figure marked.
0.6 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 La Junta adults…
La Junta runs above CO on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of La Junta adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
Care in and near La Junta
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in La Junta, 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 La Junta; ≈ 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 La Junta adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, La Junta 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.
La Junta and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Junta | C | 34.6% | 13.9% | 15.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of La Junta adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for La Junta
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, La Junta is better than Colorado on 1 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside La Junta’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | La Junta | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.8%22.6–29.3 | 15.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%15–19.2 | 11.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%16.1–20.6 | 16% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.6%27–43 | 26.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.9%12.1–15.9 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 33.6%29.7–37.9 | 27% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.4%31.3–39.9 | 31.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.8%24.7–31.3 | 22.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.2–13.1 | 10.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.8%7–8.6 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%7–8.8 | 5.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.4%7.4–9.6 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.9–4.7 | 2.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.7%12.9–18.7 | 9.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.1%12.9–17.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28%23.4–33 | 17.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%12.9–19.2 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.6%28.2–41.1 | 30.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 20.8%17.6–24.2 | 11.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.3%66.9–75.3 | 71.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.2%48.3–55.8 | 64.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.9%79.6–84.2 | 85.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.3%70.2–76.3 | 69.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.4%52.8–63.4 | 62.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 66.2%57.3–74.2 | 71.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.8%19.4–26.8 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.7%33.1–42.6 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.7%15.5–20.2 | 10.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.9%16.7–21.2 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.3%8.3–10.4 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.4%7.6–9.3 | 4.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.7%9.4–12.1 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.6%5–6.3 | 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 La Junta
Is La Junta a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Junta is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #157 of 159 in Colorado. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in La Junta?
CDC estimates 34.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 27% and 43%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to La Junta?
Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center in Lajuna, 0.1 miles in a straight line from La Junta’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in La Junta have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 20.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 17.6–24.2%), 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 La Junta more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in La Junta.
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.