First National Bank of Eddy · Photo: MRobison · CC BY-SA 3.0Within New Mexico, Carlsbad is healthier than 57% of graded towns
Carlsbad differs from New Mexico on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Carlsbad. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Carlsbad
What’s behind Carlsbad’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Carlsbad is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns, #32 of 73 in New Mexico. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 62% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 25%).
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). Carlsbad’s median household income is $72,306; among the 10,700 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$90K), it’s healthier than 47%, about where its income would put it.
Where Carlsbad compares well: arthritis, 22.3% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.4% (U.S. 7.9%).
Everyday habits, side by side with New Mexico
Share of adults, with the New Mexico figure marked.
21 miles of trails across 32 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Carlsbad adults…
Carlsbad runs below NM on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Carlsbad
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Carlsbad, 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 Carlsbad; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Carlsbad adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.
How Carlsbad adults are doing
About the same as New Mexico on each measure.
1 in 3 Carlsbad 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.
15.9% of Carlsbad adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
Carlsbad and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad | C+ | 39.5% | 11.4% | 13.6% | CDC place |
| La Huerta | A− | 36.1% | 10.6% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Livingston Wheeler | — | — | — | — | |
| Happy Valley | — | — | — | — |
Livingston Wheeler and Happy Valley: 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 Carlsbad adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Carlsbad
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Carlsbad is better than New Mexico on 5 and worse on 3; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside Carlsbad’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Carlsbad | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.9%20.2–25.8 | 24% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13.1–16.7 | 15.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%15.2–19.2 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.5%32.4–46.8 | 34.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.4%9.9–13 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.7%27.9–35.5 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.8%28.8–36.9 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.3%19.6–25.1 | 25.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.7–11.1 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.4%5.8–7.1 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.6–6.9 | 7.2% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6%5.3–6.7 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.5 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.8%12.2–17.8 | 14.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.6%11.7–15.5 | 13.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27%22.9–31.5 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%12.6–18.6 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.8%33.7–46 | 32.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 17.4%15.1–19.8 | 15.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 65.7%61.1–70 | 69% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.5%53.7–61.2 | 61.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.2%78.8–83.3 | 83.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71%67.6–74 | 73.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.7%51.5–61.7 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.1%60.8–76.4 | 70.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.2%19.7–26.8 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.1%30.4–40.2 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25%21.5–28.7 | 24.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.2%17.5–23 | 20.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.9%14.7–19.2 | 16.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.7%9.3–12.1 | 11.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.6%9.4–11.9 | 11% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.9%13.8–18.3 | 16.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.4%29.4–37.8 | 34% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14%12.3–15.9 | 15.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.7%14.8–18.6 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.4–8.1 | 8.5% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 6.6%6–7.2 | 7.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%8.1–10 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%4–4.7 | 4.7% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Carlsbad
Is Carlsbad a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Carlsbad is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #32 of 73 in New Mexico. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 47%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Carlsbad?
CDC estimates 39.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.4% and 46.8%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Carlsbad?
Carlsbad Medical Center in Carlsbad, 3.0 miles in a straight line from Carlsbad’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Carlsbad have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 17.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 15.1–19.8%), 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 Carlsbad 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 Carlsbad.
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.