Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, La Union is healthier than 87%
La Union beats New Mexico on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for La Union. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in La Union
La Union is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, La Union is healthier than 57%. Against the 7,853 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$71K), it’s healthier than 87%. Health Grade ↓
COPD and cancer are less common in La Union
La Union runs below New Mexico on five chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.2% vs 6.6%), cancer (5.9% vs 7.4%) and depression (18.5% vs 23.2%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (New Mexico 19%). Conditions ↓
Few La Union adults smoke
9% of adults smoke cigarettes, 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 La Union’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind La Union’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Union is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 94% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 22%).
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 Union’s median household income is $56,411; among the 7,853 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$71K), it’s healthier than 87%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 La Union adults…
La Union runs below NM on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of La Union residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across New Mexico. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Mexico
Share of adults, with the New Mexico figure marked.
Care in and near La Union
No hospital or community health center in La Union 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 Union; ≈ 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 La Union adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.
How La Union adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, La Union does better than New Mexico.
1 in 3 La Union 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.
13.1% of La Union adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
La Union and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Union | B | 34.4% | 14.1% | 9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of La Union adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for La Union
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, La Union is better than New Mexico on 10 and worse on 0; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside La Union’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | La Union | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.5%19.5–27.8 | 24% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.2–16.6 | 15.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.1–15.1 | 16.1% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.4%29–40.2 | 34.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.1%12.1–16.3 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.9%28.4–35.6 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.4%30.7–38.3 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.3%19.6–25.3 | 25.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.5%7.4–9.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.9%5.3–6.5 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.9%5.1–6.8 | 7.2% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.2%3.4–5 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.7–3.6 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.3%10–14.7 | 14.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9%7–11.2 | 13.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 26.1%21.3–30.9 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%11.9–17.2 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30%25.8–34.4 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 19.3%14.1–24.8 | 15.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.3%67.3–75.2 | 69% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.8%60.4–67.2 | 61.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.4%82.5–88.3 | 83.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.4%71.1–77.8 | 73.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.7%52.1–61.1 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.1%59.5–73.8 | 70.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.5%15.7–21.5 | 23.2% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 33%28.3–37.9 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.6%20.6–29 | 24.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.7%15–24.9 | 20.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.3%12.8–19.9 | 16.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.2%7.4–11.1 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.4%7.5–11.6 | 11% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.1%9.5–16.9 | 16.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.6%27.9–37.3 | 34% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.5%11.9–17.2 | 15.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.7%11.3–16.2 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.4–8.5 | 8.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.1%5.9–8.3 | 7.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.5%6.1–8.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.5–5.1 | 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 Union
Is La Union a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Union is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B 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 Union?
CDC estimates 34.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 29% and 40.2%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to La Union?
The Hospitals of Providence Transmountain Campus in El Paso, 8.1 miles in a straight line from La Union’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in La Union have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 19.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.1–24.8%), 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 Union more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in La Union.
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.