Photo: AllenS · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, La Luz is healthier than 82%
La Luz differs from New Mexico on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for La Luz. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in La Luz
La Luz is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, La Luz is healthier than 39%. Against the 4,535 towns with similar household incomes ($35K–$58K), it’s healthier than 82%. Health Grade ↓
COPD, cancer and heart disease run high in La Luz
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.5%), vs 6.6% across New Mexico. 1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.5%), vs 7.4% across New Mexico. Heart disease is also above the state: 9%, vs 7.2% across New Mexico. In all, La Luz runs above New Mexico on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in La Luz, and more people treating it
40.6% of adults have high blood pressure (New Mexico 34.3%), but 79.2% of them take medicine for it, vs 73.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
Fewer La Luz adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing and getting around all run below New Mexico. 1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 5 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Luz’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind La Luz’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Luz is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 81% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 17%).
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 Luz’s median household income is $46,655; among the 4,535 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($35K–$58K), it’s healthier than 82%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 La Luz adults…
La Luz runs above NM on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of La Luz 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.
15% of La Luz adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
Care in and near La Luz
No hospital or community health center in La Luz 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 Luz; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with New Mexico
Share of adults, with the New Mexico figure marked.
How La Luz adults are doing
About the same as New Mexico on each measure.
1 in 3 La Luz 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.
La Luz and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Luz | C+ | 37% | 14.8% | 14.9% | CDC place |
| Alamogordo | B− | 35.9% | 12.5% | 13.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of La Luz adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for La Luz
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, La Luz is better than New Mexico on 8 and worse on 7; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside La Luz’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | La Luz | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.7%20.6–27 | 24% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.3–18.3 | 15.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.2–17 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37%30.2–43.8 | 34.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.8%12.7–16.9 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.6%36.3–45 | 34.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.1%35.5–44.6 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.3%27.7–34.8 | 25.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.6–11.1 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.6–10.5 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%8–10.1 | 7.2% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.5%7.3–9.8 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12%9.7–14.6 | 14.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.9%12.5–17.5 | 13.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.1%20.8–29.5 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.7%10.3–15.4 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.2%27–38.1 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.8%9.8–13.9 | 15.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74%70.1–77.8 | 69% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.8%61.4–68.5 | 61.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.9%85.2–88.7 | 83.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76–82.1 | 73.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.1%56.8–67.4 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.6%65.1–79.6 | 70.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23%19.5–26.5 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.5%26.9–36.3 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.5%19.3–26.1 | 24.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.3%14.8–20.1 | 20.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.2%11.3–15.2 | 16.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.6%8.3–11.1 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.8%7.7–9.9 | 11% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15%12.7–17.4 | 16.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.1%30.7–39.5 | 34% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.8%15.4–20.2 | 15.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.7%12.7–16.6 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.1%8.9–11.3 | 8.5% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6.2–7.6 | 7.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.5%8.3–10.7 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.1%4.6–5.7 | 4.7% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Luz
Is La Luz a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Luz is healthier than 39% 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 La Luz?
CDC estimates 37% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.2% and 43.8%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to La Luz?
Christus Southern New Mexico in Alamogordo, 3.2 miles in a straight line from La Luz’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in La Luz have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.8–13.9%), 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 Luz more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in La Luz.
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.