Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Loving is healthier than 65%
Loving differs from New Mexico on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Loving. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Loving
More Loving adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (33.3%), vs 25.6% across New Mexico. Habits ↓
1 in 4 working-age adults in Loving has no health insurance
23.9% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 15.6% across New Mexico. Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Loving
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (26.5%), vs 20.9% across New Mexico. Housing insecurity (21.6% vs 16.5%) is higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Loving is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Loving is healthier than 21%. Against the 3,638 towns with similar household incomes ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 65%. 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 Loving’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Loving’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Loving is healthier than 21% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 62% of U.S. towns); obesity 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). Loving’s median household income is $43,884; among the 3,638 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 65%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Loving compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.4% (U.S. 7.9%).
Everyday habits, side by side with New Mexico
Share of adults, with the New Mexico figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Loving 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.
19.9% of Loving adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
Out of every 100 Loving adults…
Loving runs below NM on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Loving
No hospital or community health center in Loving 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 Loving; ≈ 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 Loving adults are doing
About the same as New Mexico on each measure.
1 in 3 Loving 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.
Loving and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loving | C− | 43.1% | 14.9% | 13.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Loving adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Loving
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Loving is better than New Mexico on 2 and worse on 8; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside Loving’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Loving | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.3%24.3–32.5 | 24% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.5–19 | 15.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.4–18.6 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.1%35.9–50.5 | 34.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14.9%12.9–17.2 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.1%30.1–38.1 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.8%30.8–39.1 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.2%19.4–25.3 | 25.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.2%8–10.4 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.4%4.8–6 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%6–7.9 | 7.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.7%4.8–6.6 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.2–4.1 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14%11.2–17 | 14.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.5%11.2–16 | 13.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 33.3%28.1–38.9 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.1%11.5–17 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.9%34.5–47.1 | 32.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 23.9%19.5–28.6 | 15.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 65.8%61.1–70.1 | 69% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.9%47.1–54.9 | 61.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.1%78.1–83.9 | 83.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.3%68.7–75.5 | 73.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.5%50–60.6 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.7%62.3–77.8 | 70.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.7%17.4–24.2 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.2%30.3–40.6 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.7%22.8–31.1 | 24.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 26.5%21.9–31.4 | 20.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 21.6%18.2–25.1 | 16.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.1%11.1–15.1 | 11.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.8%10.9–14.9 | 11% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.9%16.1–24 | 16.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37%32.1–42 | 34% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.9%14.3–19.5 | 15.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.6%15.1–20.3 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–9 | 8.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8.8%7.6–10.1 | 7.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.3–11.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.4%4.7–6.3 | 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 Loving
Is Loving a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Loving is healthier than 21% 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 Loving?
CDC estimates 43.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.9% and 50.5%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Loving?
Carlsbad Medical Center in Carlsbad, 14.3 miles in a straight line from Loving’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Loving have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 23.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 19.5–28.6%), 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 Loving 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 Loving.
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.