On CDC estimates, El Rito is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns
El Rito differs from New Mexico on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for El Rito. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in El Rito
Diabetes and heart disease run high in El Rito
1 in 5 adults have diabetes (18.2%), vs 13.2% across New Mexico. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.5%), vs 7.2% across New Mexico. In all, El Rito runs above New Mexico on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 33% of residents are 65 or older (New Mexico 19%), and diabetes and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
The nearest ER is 24 miles from El Rito
The closest emergency room is Presbyterian Espanola Hospital in Espanola, 23.7 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Las Clinicas Del Norte, Incorporated is closer (0.7 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
El Rito is short on primary care and mental health care
El Rito’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
El Rito adults report less mental distress
Frequent mental distress (13.6% vs 16.1%) and depression (18.5% vs 23.2%) both run below New Mexico. Mind & connection ↓
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 El Rito’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
What’s behind El Rito’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, El Rito is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 92% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 4%).
Where El Rito compares well: binge drinking, 11% (U.S. 15.4%).
Out of every 100 El Rito adults…
El Rito runs below NM on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
El Rito is an older town: 33% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across New Mexico. Heart disease, stroke and diabetes rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in El Rito as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near El Rito
1 community health center in El Rito, 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 El Rito; ≈ 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 El Rito adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, El Rito does better than New Mexico.
1 in 3 El Rito 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Mexico
Share of adults, with the New Mexico figure marked.
2.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of El Rito 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.
16.3% of El Rito adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
El Rito and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Rito | C | 39.2% | 18.2% | 11% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of El Rito adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for El Rito
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, El Rito is better than New Mexico on 6 and worse on 4; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside El Rito’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | El Rito | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.5%23.8–31.2 | 24% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%14.7–19.3 | 15.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%11.8–15.6 | 16.1% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.2%31.7–47.2 | 34.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 18.2%15.7–20.9 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.8%33.3–42.5 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38%33.3–42.9 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.9%25.2–32.7 | 25.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9%7.8–10.3 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.6–8.4 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.5%7.5–9.6 | 7.2% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.1%5.2–7.1 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.1%11.4–17.4 | 14.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11%9.2–13 | 13.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 30.5%25.4–35.8 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 11%8.8–13.6 | 13.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.3%27.7–39.6 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 19.4%15.9–23 | 15.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.2%69–77.2 | 69% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.8%55.9–63.7 | 61.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.3%85.2–89.2 | 83.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.3%74.7–81.5 | 73.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.7%50.4–61.3 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.5%65.8–80.6 | 70.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.5%15.4–22.1 | 23.2% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 31.6%26.9–36.4 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.3%20.7–28.1 | 24.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.6%18.3–25.2 | 20.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.1%14.6–19.7 | 16.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11%9.5–12.7 | 11.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.3%8.9–11.8 | 11% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.3%13.4–19.3 | 16.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.9%32.9–42.9 | 34% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.8%16.9–22.7 | 15.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.3%12.3–16.4 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.9%8.7–11.2 | 8.5% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.9%7.8–9.9 | 7.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%7.7–10.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.6%4.9–6.3 | 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 El Rito
Is El Rito a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, El Rito is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns: C for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in El Rito?
CDC estimates 39.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.7% and 47.2%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to El Rito?
Presbyterian Espanola Hospital in Espanola, 23.7 miles in a straight line from El Rito’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in El Rito have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 19.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 15.9–23%), 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 El Rito 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 El Rito.
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.