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La Cienega Pond, NMPhoto: Tdigkhang · CC BY-SA 4.0
AHealth Grade
Health in La Cienega · CDC PLACES 2025

On 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 · In brief

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+.

Health Grade

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%.

BSelf-rated health18.4% · NM 24% · U.S. 19.4%
A−Physical distress12.3% · NM 15.5% · U.S. 13%
A+Mental distress12.8% · NM 16.1% · U.S. 15.9%
AObesity25.9% · NM 34.1% · U.S. 32.9%
B+Diabetes11% · NM 13.2% · U.S. 12%
ASmoking8.2% smoke · NM 13.4% · U.S. 11.8%
A−Exercise20% · NM 25.6% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 86%
Less healthyHealthier
New Mexico towns we grade (73)Healthier than 93%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $64K–$107K (10,383)Healthier than 93%

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.

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, La Cienega could be anywhere from B+ to A+.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 La Cienega adults…

La Cienega runs below NM on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

4 of every 100 La Cienega adults have COPD
New Mexico: 7 in 100 · better · likely 3.2–4.5%
Better than NMWorseAbout the sameNew Mexico
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with New Mexico

Share of adults, with the New Mexico figure marked.

Get no exercise 20%NM 25.6%
Sleep under 7 hours 30.5%NM 32.7%
Binge drink 13.8%NM 13.7%
Smoke cigarettes 8.2%NM 13.4%
0%10%20%30%40%
La Cienega, betterLa Cienega, worseAbout the sameNew Mexico
Where La Cienega gets moving

15 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Getting care

Care in and near La Cienega

No hospital or community health center in La Cienega itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERPresbyterian Santa Fe Medical CenterSanta Fe · 5.4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyPresbyterian Santa Fe Medical Center★★★★★ · 5.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost carePresbyterian Medical ServicesSanta Fe · 5.8 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
5.4 mi
Presbyterian Santa Fe Medical Center
Santa Fe · ★★★★★
ER
5.8 mi
Presbyterian Medical Services
2 sites · nearest in Santa Fe
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
7.3 mi
La Familia Medical Center
5 sites · nearest in Santa Fe
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
14.1 mi
Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center
Santa Fe · ★★★★★
ER
18.3 mi
Santa Fe PHS Indian Hospital
Santa Fe · not rated
24 mi
Los Alamos Medical Center
Los Alamos · not rated
ER
✓ Primary careLa Cienega is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careLa Cienega is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthLa Cienega is not a shortage area

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.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of La Cienega adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.

68%Yearly checkupNM 69%
67%Dentist visitNM 61%
87%Cholesterol checkNM 83%
60%Colon screeningNM 58%
76%MammogramNM 70%
71%Taking BP medsNM 73%
1 in 7
working-age adults has no health insurance
La Cienega 14.8% · New Mexico 1 in 6 (15.6%)
Mind & connection

How La Cienega adults are doing

On 1 of 4 measures, La Cienega does better than New Mexico.

1 in 3La Cienega adults feel lonely
31.8% · NM 34.1% · About the same as NM
1 in 4La Cienega adults lack social or emotional support
22.5% · NM 24.5% · About the same as NM
1 in 5La Cienega adults have been diagnosed with depression
20.2% · NM 23.2% · About the same as NM
1 in 8La Cienega adults are in frequent mental distress
12.8% · NM 16.1% · Better than NM
The one neighbors can help with

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.

Find a group →

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 needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 7
La Cienega adults worry about having enough food
14.8% · NM 20.9%
Better than NM
1 in 8
La Cienega adults worry about keeping their housing
13.1% · NM 16.5%
Better than NM
1 in 13
La Cienega adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8% · NM 11.2%
Better than NM
1 in 13
La Cienega adults lack reliable transportation
7.7% · NM 11%
Better than NM

9.6% of La Cienega adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.

Around town

La Cienega and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Santa Fe: 25.9%Tres Arroyos: 24%Tano Road: 21.3%Santa Fe Foothills: 23%Conejo: 21.9%Tesuque: 26%Hyde Park: 21.3%Valle Vista: 31%La Cienega: 25.9%La CienegaSanta FePresbyterian Santa Fe Medical Center · Santa Fe · 5.4 mi · 5★ MedicareHPMS - Santa Fe Family Health Center · Santa Fe · 5.8 mi+La Familia - Southside Clinic · Santa Fe · 7.3 mi+
Healthier than NMNear NMLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#6 of 9 towns on this map, healthiest first
La Cienega25.9%
Santa Fe25.9%
NM34.1%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
La CienegaA25.9%11%8.2%CDC place
Santa FeA−25.9%11.7%10.2%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

24.3%

of La Cienega adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs10.9%
Thinking or memory11.5%
Hearing5.9%
Errands alone6%
Vision5.2%
Dressing or bathing3.3%
New Mexico

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 CienegaNMU.S.vs NM
Overall health
Fair or poor health18.4%15.8–21.224%19.4%Better
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)12.3%10.8–14.115.5%13%Better
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)12.8%11–14.616.1%15.9%Better
Conditions
Obesity25.9%21.4–3134.1%32.9%Better
Diabetes11%9.6–12.813.2%12%Better
High blood pressure26.7%23.6–29.934.3%34.4%Better
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)31.7%28.3–35.535.1%37.1%About the same
Arthritis19.5%17.2–2225.6%25.3%Better
Asthma8.4%7.4–9.69.9%9.9%Better
Cancer, other than skin cancer6.2%5.6–6.97.4%7.9%Better
Coronary heart disease5.1%4.5–5.87.2%6.4%Better
COPD3.8%3.2–4.56.6%6.3%Better
Stroke2.6%2.4–2.93.8%3.4%Better
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)7.5%6.2–9.114.2%12.3%Better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes8.2%6.7–9.713.4%11.8%Better
No exercise outside work20%16.6–23.725.6%24.7%Better
Binge drinking13.8%11.4–16.513.7%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours30.5%26.6–34.832.7%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)14.8%11.8–17.915.6%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year68.2%64.3–72.369%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year67.1%64.1–69.961.4%63.2%Better
Cholesterol check in 5 years86.5%84.4–88.683.4%87.1%Better
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)71.2%67.3–74.973.3%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)59.7%55.6–63.957.5%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)75.5%69.8–80.970.3%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression20.2%17.4–23.523.2%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely31.8%27.3–36.334.1%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support22.5%19.1–26.124.5%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food14.8%12–17.820.9%15%Better
Worried about keeping housing13.1%10.9–15.616.5%12%Better
Threatened with a utility shut-off8%6.7–9.411.2%7.6%Better
Lack reliable transportation7.7%6.5–911%7.9%Better
Received SNAP (food stamps)9.6%7.6–11.916.9%11.6%Lower
Disability
Any disability24.3%20.9–2834%30.1%Lower
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs10.9%9.3–12.715.5%13.6%Lower
Difficulty concentrating or remembering11.5%9.8–13.415.5%13.9%Lower
Hearing difficulty5.9%5.2–6.88.5%6.7%Lower
Vision difficulty5.2%4.6–5.97.2%5.4%Lower
Difficulty doing errands alone6%5.2–6.99.3%7.9%Lower
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.3%2.9–3.84.7%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.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.