On CDC estimates, La Plata is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns
La Plata differs from New Mexico on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for La Plata. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in La Plata
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in La Plata
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.1%), vs 6.6% across New Mexico. 1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.7%), vs 3.8% across New Mexico. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.7%, vs 7.2% across New Mexico. In all, La Plata runs above New Mexico on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (New Mexico 19%), and COPD, stroke and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in La Plata
55.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 61.4% across New Mexico. Among those 65 and older, 20% have lost all their teeth (New Mexico 14.2%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in La Plata
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (18.8%), vs 13.4% across New Mexico. Habits ↓
La Plata is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, La Plata is healthier than 24%. Against the 8,056 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$71K), it’s healthier than 42%. Health Grade ↓
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 Plata’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind La Plata’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Plata is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 61% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 7%).
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 Plata’s median household income is $57,071; among the 8,056 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$71K), it’s healthier than 42%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 La Plata adults…
La Plata runs above NM on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
La Plata is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across New Mexico. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in La Plata as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of La Plata adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Mexico
Share of adults, with the New Mexico figure marked.
15 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
Care in and near La Plata
No hospital or community health center in La Plata 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 Plata; ≈ 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 La Plata adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, La Plata runs above New Mexico.
1 in 3 La Plata 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.
21.5% of La Plata adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
La Plata 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 Plata | C− | 34.7% | 13.9% | 18.8% | CDC place |
| Farmington | C+ | 33.3% | 12% | 17.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of La Plata adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for La Plata
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, La Plata is better than New Mexico on 1 and worse on 13; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside La Plata’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | La Plata | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.5%22.6–28.7 | 24% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%16–20 | 15.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.6%16.5–20.8 | 16.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.7%29.6–40.1 | 34.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.9%12.2–15.8 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.5%32.1–39 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.6%31.1–38.3 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.8%26.9–32.9 | 25.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.1–12.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.6–9.3 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.7%7.8–9.7 | 7.2% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.1%8.8–11.5 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.2–5.1 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20%17–23.4 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.8%16.2–21.6 | 13.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.2%21.6–29 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.8%10.5–15.3 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36%31.8–40.3 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.3%9.4–13.3 | 15.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.8%67–74.5 | 69% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.6%52.3–59 | 61.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.3%79.8–84.6 | 83.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75%71.7–78.1 | 73.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 57.9%53.6–62.2 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 59.3%52–66.4 | 70.3% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.6%21.3–28.1 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.8%30.5–39.5 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.1%20.7–27.9 | 24.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.4%18.3–24.8 | 20.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.2%13.9–18.7 | 16.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.7%11.9–15.7 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.2%10.6–13.9 | 11% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.5%18.1–25.1 | 16.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.7%34.7–42.9 | 34% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18%15.8–20.3 | 15.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.3%16.3–20.6 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.1%9–11.3 | 8.5% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.6%6.9–8.4 | 7.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.8%10.5–13.2 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6%5.4–6.7 | 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 La Plata
Is La Plata a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Plata is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 42%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in La Plata?
CDC estimates 34.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.6% and 40.1%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to La Plata?
San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, 11.9 miles in a straight line from La Plata’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in La Plata have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.4–13.3%), 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 Plata 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 Plata.
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.