Photo: Wordbuilder · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Clayton is healthier than 90%
Clayton trails New Mexico on 1 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Clayton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Clayton
Clayton is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Clayton’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Dental care lags in Clayton
54.9% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 61.4% across New Mexico. Clayton’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
Clayton is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Clayton is healthier than 31%. Against the 1,179 towns with similar household incomes ($26K–$43K), it’s healthier than 90%. 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 New Mexico figure falls outside Clayton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Clayton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clayton is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns, #44 of 73 in New Mexico. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 65% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Clayton’s median household income is $34,500; among the 1,179 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($26K–$43K), it’s healthier than 90%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Clayton
1 hospital in Clayton, 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 Clayton; ≈ 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 Clayton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.
Out of every 100 Clayton adults…
On every condition, Clayton is about the same as New Mexico. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Mexico
Share of adults, with the New Mexico figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Clayton adults are doing
About the same as New Mexico on each measure.
1 in 3 Clayton 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.
18.9% of Clayton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
Clayton and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton | C | 35.4% | 14.6% | 15.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Clayton adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Clayton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Clayton is better than New Mexico on 0 and worse on 1; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside Clayton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Clayton | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.5%22.7–30.8 | 24% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.4–19.2 | 15.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14–18.7 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.4%25.3–45.7 | 34.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.6%12.4–17.1 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.7%31.4–41.9 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.7%30.5–41.1 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.3%22.6–30.2 | 25.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.4%8.1–10.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.4%6.5–8.3 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7–9.1 | 7.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.5%6.3–8.8 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.8–4.7 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.8%13.8–20.5 | 14.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%12.7–18.2 | 13.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.7%23.2–34.7 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%11.1–18 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.9%28.3–42.4 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 18.5%15–22.5 | 15.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 67.6%62–72.7 | 69% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.9%50.8–59 | 61.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.2%79.3–84.9 | 83.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.4%69.5–76.9 | 73.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 54.5%48.6–60.5 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 65.2%55.7–74.3 | 70.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.7%17.8–26.1 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.8%28.3–39.4 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.6%21.5–29.8 | 24.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.6%18.7–26.3 | 20.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.6%14.6–20.4 | 16.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12%10.1–13.9 | 11.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.4%9.7–13 | 11% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.9%15.4–22.3 | 16.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.4%31–42.2 | 34% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.3%14.7–20.2 | 15.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.6%14.2–19.1 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.3%8.1–10.7 | 8.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8%7–9 | 7.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.9%8.6–11.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.4%4.7–6.2 | 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 Clayton
Is Clayton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clayton is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #44 of 73 in New Mexico. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Clayton?
CDC estimates 35.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.3% and 45.7%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Clayton?
Union County General Hospital in Clayton, 2.5 miles in a straight line from Clayton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Clayton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 18.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 15–22.5%), 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 Clayton 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 Clayton.
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.