Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Within New Mexico, Albuquerque is healthier than 81% of graded towns
Albuquerque differs from New Mexico on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Albuquerque. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Albuquerque
Albuquerque is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Albuquerque is healthier than 62%. Against the 10,376 towns with similar household incomes ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 81%. Health Grade ↓
Health varies a lot right around Albuquerque
Grades next door run from Sandia Heights (A+) to South Valley (C). Albuquerque is a B. Around town ↓
Albuquerque has five hospitals within its borders
5 hospitals and 4 community health centers are inside Albuquerque. Lovelace Women's Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 New Mexico figure falls outside Albuquerque’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
What’s behind Albuquerque’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Albuquerque is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns, #15 of 73 in New Mexico. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 73% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 32%).
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). Albuquerque’s median household income is $68,317; among the 10,376 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 81%, more than its income alone would suggest.
At 556,588 residents, Albuquerque is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Care in and near Albuquerque
5 hospitals and 4 community health centers in Albuquerque.
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 Albuquerque; ≈ 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).
Albuquerque and the towns around it
Albuquerque’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 8 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | B | 32.9% | 11.3% | 12.2% | CDC place |
| South Valley | C | 37% | 15.4% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| North Valley | B− | 34.1% | 14.4% | 11.8% | CDC place |
| Los Ranchos de Albuquerque | B+ | 31.3% | 12.5% | 10% | CDC place |
| Kirtland AFB | A | 27.2% | 3.3% | 10% | CDC place |
| Carnuel | — | — | — | — | |
| Rio Rancho | A− | 31.9% | 10.6% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Corrales | A− | 29.6% | 12.6% | 8.4% | CDC place |
Carnuel: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 Albuquerque adults…
Albuquerque runs below NM on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Mexico
Share of adults, with the New Mexico figure marked.
322 miles of trails across 255 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Albuquerque adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.
How Albuquerque adults are doing
About the same as New Mexico on each measure.
1 in 3 Albuquerque 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.
15.5% of Albuquerque adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Albuquerque adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Albuquerque
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Albuquerque is better than New Mexico on 5 and worse on 1; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside Albuquerque’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Albuquerque | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.8%19.6–24.1 | 24% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.7–15.8 | 15.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.4–18 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.9%28.3–37.5 | 34.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.3%9.8–12.7 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.6%29.4–35.7 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.9%31.5–38.3 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.2%21.6–26.7 | 25.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.7–11.1 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7%6.3–7.7 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.5–6.8 | 7.2% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.5%4.9–6.1 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.5 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.1%9.2–13.3 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.2%10.6–13.8 | 13.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.1%20–26.3 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14%11.6–16.4 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.6%26.9–34.5 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.4%12.7–16.2 | 15.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 67.2%63.4–70.8 | 69% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.6%60.6–66.6 | 61.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.8%81.9–85.6 | 83.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.2%66.8–73.2 | 73.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.4%56.3–64.4 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.8%66.6–78.3 | 70.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.1%21.9–28.4 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.3%30.5–38.2 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.6%20.6–26.7 | 24.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.3%17.2–21.4 | 20.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.9%14.1–17.8 | 16.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.6%9.4–12 | 11.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.3%9.3–11.5 | 11% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.5%13.7–17.3 | 16.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.5%27.3–33.8 | 34% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.2%11.7–14.8 | 15.5% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.6%13–16.3 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.3–7.9 | 8.5% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 6.4%5.9–6.9 | 7.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.5%7.6–9.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.9–4.5 | 4.7% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 New Mexico figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Albuquerque
Is Albuquerque a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Albuquerque is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #15 of 73 in New Mexico. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 81%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Albuquerque?
CDC estimates 32.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.3% and 37.5%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Albuquerque?
Lovelace Medical Center in Albuquerque, 1.4 miles in a straight line from Albuquerque’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Albuquerque have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.7–16.2%), against 15.6% across New Mexico.
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 Albuquerque 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 Albuquerque.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Mexico 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.