On CDC estimates, Dexter is healthier than 7% of U.S. towns
Dexter differs from New Mexico on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Dexter. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Dexter
More Dexter adults get no exercise
37% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.6% across New Mexico. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Dexter
46.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 61.4% across New Mexico. Among those 65 and older, 19% have lost all their teeth (New Mexico 14.2%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Dexter
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (35.3%), vs 20.9% across New Mexico. Housing insecurity (26.5% vs 16.5%) and utility shut-off threats (17.4% vs 11.2%) are higher too. 30% of adults receive SNAP, vs 16.9% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dexter is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Dexter is healthier than 7%. Against the 3,630 towns with similar household incomes ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 28%. 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 Dexter’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Dexter’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dexter is healthier than 7% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 28% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Dexter’s median household income is $43,846; among the 3,630 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 28%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Dexter compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.1% (U.S. 7.9%).
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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Dexter adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
30% of Dexter adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
Out of every 100 Dexter adults…
Dexter runs below NM on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Dexter
No hospital or community health center in Dexter itself. These are the nearest.
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 Dexter; ≈ 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 Dexter adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Dexter runs above New Mexico.
4 in 10 Dexter 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.
Dexter and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dexter | D | 43% | 16.5% | 17.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Dexter adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Dexter
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Dexter is better than New Mexico on 1 and worse on 17; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside Dexter’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Dexter | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 34.2%29.5–38.9 | 24% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.3%16.9–22 | 15.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.3–21.2 | 16.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43%36–50.8 | 34.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 16.5%14.4–18.8 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.8%32.9–41.3 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.3%31.3–39.7 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.2%22.2–28.5 | 25.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.1%8.8–11.5 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.1%4.6–5.7 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.5–8.3 | 7.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.4%6.3–8.6 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.6–4.7 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19%15.9–22.5 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.1%14.1–20.2 | 13.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 37%31.4–42.8 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.7%11–16.8 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38%32.5–43.9 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 27.2%21.6–32.6 | 15.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 67.4%62.8–72.1 | 69% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 46.6%42.9–50.2 | 61.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.9%75.6–82.3 | 83.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.3%67.9–74.6 | 73.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 45.8%41.1–50.7 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 61.4%52.6–69.8 | 70.3% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.8%20.2–28 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.2%30.9–41.6 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28%23.5–32.5 | 24.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 35.3%29.7–41.1 | 20.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 26.5%22.4–30.6 | 16.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 17.4%14.7–20.2 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 16.8%14.2–19.5 | 11% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 30%25–35.3 | 16.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 42.8%37.6–48.1 | 34% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.6%17.6–23.7 | 15.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.1%18.2–24.3 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.5%7.5–9.6 | 8.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 11.3%9.8–12.9 | 7.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.5%10.8–14.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.2%6.1–8.3 | 4.7% | 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 New Mexico figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Dexter
Is Dexter a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dexter is healthier than 7% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 28%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Dexter?
CDC estimates 43% of adults have obesity, likely between 36% and 50.8%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Dexter?
Lovelace Regional Hospital - Roswell in Roswell, 17.6 miles in a straight line from Dexter’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Dexter have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 27.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 21.6–32.6%), 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 Dexter more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Dexter.
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.