Photo: afiler from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Gallup is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns
Gallup differs from New Mexico on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gallup. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gallup
Making ends meet is harder in Gallup
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (32.8%), vs 20.9% across New Mexico. Utility shut-off threats (18.7% vs 11.2%) and no reliable transportation (17.9% vs 11%) are higher too. 28.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 16.9% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Mental distress runs high in Gallup
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20%), vs 16.1% across New Mexico. Lack of emotional support is above the state too: 28.8%, vs 24.5% across New Mexico. Mind & connection ↓
Smoking is more common in Gallup
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (19.3%), vs 13.4% across New Mexico. Habits ↓
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 Gallup’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Gallup’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gallup is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns, #62 of 73 in New Mexico. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 39% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 6%).
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). Gallup’s median household income is $58,303; among the 8,447 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 18%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Gallup compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
28.8% of Gallup adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
How Gallup adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Gallup runs above New Mexico.
1 in 3 Gallup 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.
42 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Gallup adults…
Gallup runs below NM on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Gallup
2 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Gallup, 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 Gallup; ≈ 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 Gallup adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.
Gallup 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallup | D | 37.6% | 15.5% | 19.3% | CDC place |
| Catalpa Canyon | — | — | — | — | |
| Church Rock | D− | 45.1% | 21% | 34.7% | CDC place |
| Sundance | — | — | — | — |
Catalpa Canyon and Sundance: 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 Gallup adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gallup
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gallup is better than New Mexico on 1 and worse on 16; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside Gallup’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gallup | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.9%26.2–31.9 | 24% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.2%16.4–20.2 | 15.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20%18–22.3 | 16.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.6%31.8–43.8 | 34.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.5%13.8–17.5 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.1%30.6–37.9 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.9%30.3–37.8 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.7%21.1–26.6 | 25.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.1%10.8–13.6 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6%5.4–6.6 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.9–8.3 | 7.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.2%7.4–9.1 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4.2–4.8 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.6%13.8–19.5 | 14.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.3%17–21.7 | 13.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.9%24.2–32.1 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.9%10.6–15.5 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.1%30.7–41.6 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.3%13.5–17.5 | 15.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 66.3%62.1–70.4 | 69% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56%52.3–59.4 | 61.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.2%76.9–81.4 | 83.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.5%68.3–74.5 | 73.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 49.9%44.6–54.9 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.5%60.3–75.7 | 70.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%19.6–26.2 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.6%30.8–40.5 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.8%25.1–32.8 | 24.5% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 32.8%29.6–35.9 | 20.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 23.9%21.3–26.6 | 16.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 18.7%16.7–20.9 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 17.9%16.2–19.8 | 11% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 28.8%26–32 | 16.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.6%32.7–40.7 | 34% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.7%15.8–19.7 | 15.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.6%17.7–21.7 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.4%8.4–10.4 | 8.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 10.1%9.3–10.9 | 7.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.9%11.7–14.2 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.2%5.8–6.7 | 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 Gallup
Is Gallup a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gallup is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns: D for health, #62 of 73 in New Mexico. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 18%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gallup?
CDC estimates 37.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.8% and 43.8%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gallup?
Gallup Indian Medical Center in Gallup, 0.8 miles in a straight line from Gallup’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gallup have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.5–17.5%), 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 Gallup 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 Gallup.
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.