Photo: Tdigkhang · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, La Cienega is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
La Cienega beats New Mexico on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for La Cienega. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in La Cienega
COPD and stroke are less common in La Cienega
La Cienega runs below New Mexico on nine chronic conditions, most of all COPD (3.8% vs 6.6%), stroke (2.6% vs 3.8%) and heart disease (5.1% vs 7.2%). Conditions ↓
Few La Cienega adults smoke
8.2% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 13.4% across New Mexico. Habits ↓
La Cienega is an active town
Only 20% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.6% across New Mexico. The town has 15 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves. 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 La Cienega’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind La Cienega’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Cienega is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #6 of 73 in New Mexico. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 95% of towns); the weakest is fair or poor health, still better than 59%.
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). La Cienega’s median household income is $85,250; among the 10,383 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($64K–$107K), it’s healthier than 93%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 La Cienega adults…
La Cienega runs below NM on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Mexico
Share of adults, with the New Mexico figure marked.
15 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near La Cienega
No hospital or community health center in La Cienega 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 La Cienega; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of La Cienega adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.
How La Cienega adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, La Cienega does better than New Mexico.
1 in 3 La Cienega 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.
9.6% of La Cienega adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
La Cienega 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Cienega | A | 25.9% | 11% | 8.2% | CDC place |
| Santa Fe | A− | 25.9% | 11.7% | 10.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of La Cienega adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for La Cienega
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, La Cienega is better than New Mexico on 21 and worse on 0; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside La Cienega’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | La Cienega | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.4%15.8–21.2 | 24% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%10.8–14.1 | 15.5% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%11–14.6 | 16.1% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.9%21.4–31 | 34.1% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 11%9.6–12.8 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 26.7%23.6–29.9 | 34.3% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.7%28.3–35.5 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 19.5%17.2–22 | 25.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.4%7.4–9.6 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.2%5.6–6.9 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.5–5.8 | 7.2% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.8%3.2–4.5 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.9 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.5%6.2–9.1 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.2%6.7–9.7 | 13.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20%16.6–23.7 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 13.8%11.4–16.5 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.5%26.6–34.8 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.8%11.8–17.9 | 15.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 68.2%64.3–72.3 | 69% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.1%64.1–69.9 | 61.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.5%84.4–88.6 | 83.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.2%67.3–74.9 | 73.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.7%55.6–63.9 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.5%69.8–80.9 | 70.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.2%17.4–23.5 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.8%27.3–36.3 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.5%19.1–26.1 | 24.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.8%12–17.8 | 20.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.1%10.9–15.6 | 16.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8%6.7–9.4 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.7%6.5–9 | 11% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.6%7.6–11.9 | 16.9% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.3%20.9–28 | 34% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.9%9.3–12.7 | 15.5% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.5%9.8–13.4 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.8 | 8.5% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.6–5.9 | 7.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6%5.2–6.9 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%2.9–3.8 | 4.7% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 La Cienega
Is La Cienega a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Cienega is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #6 of 73 in New Mexico. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 93%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in La Cienega?
CDC estimates 25.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.4% and 31%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to La Cienega?
Presbyterian Santa Fe Medical Center in Santa Fe, 5.4 miles in a straight line from La Cienega’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in La Cienega have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.8–17.9%), 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 La Cienega more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in La Cienega.
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.