On CDC estimates, Meadow Lake is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns
Meadow Lake differs from New Mexico on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Meadow Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Meadow Lake
Making ends meet is harder in Meadow Lake
35.9% of adults worry about having enough food, vs 20.9% across New Mexico. Housing insecurity (26.7% vs 16.5%) and utility shut-off threats (18% vs 11.2%) are higher too. 30.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 16.9% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Meadow Lake adults get no exercise
35.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.6% across New Mexico. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Meadow Lake
51.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 61.4% across New Mexico. Among those 65 and older, 21.3% have lost all their teeth (New Mexico 14.2%). Checkups ↓
Meadow Lake is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Meadow Lake is healthier than 9%. Against the 3,551 towns with similar household incomes ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 35%. 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 Meadow Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Meadow Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Meadow Lake is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns, #66 of 73 in New Mexico. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 26% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Meadow Lake’s median household income is $43,649; among the 3,551 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 35%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Meadow Lake compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.3% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
30.9% of Meadow Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Mexico
Share of adults, with the New Mexico figure marked.
Keeping up with care
Share of Meadow Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.
Out of every 100 Meadow Lake adults…
Meadow Lake runs below NM on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Meadow Lake residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across New Mexico. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Meadow Lake
No hospital or community health center in Meadow Lake 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 Meadow Lake; ≈ 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 Meadow Lake adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Meadow Lake runs above New Mexico.
2 in 5 Meadow Lake 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.
Meadow Lake and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meadow Lake | D | 39.3% | 16.2% | 17.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Meadow Lake adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Meadow Lake
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Meadow Lake is better than New Mexico on 1 and worse on 16; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside Meadow Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Meadow Lake | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 34.1%29.2–39.1 | 24% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.3%16.7–22 | 15.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%16.3–21.4 | 16.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.3%31.6–47.5 | 34.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.2%14–18.6 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.9%30.7–39.3 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.7%30.5–39.1 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.2%21.1–27.5 | 25.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.2%8.8–11.6 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.6–8.5 | 7.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8%6.8–9.3 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.7–4.7 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.3%17.6–25.5 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.6%14.6–20.9 | 13.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 35.9%30.1–42 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13%10.4–15.8 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.5%31.5–43.8 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 26.7%21–32.3 | 15.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 65.8%60.9–70.3 | 69% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.2%47.1–55.2 | 61.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.8%74.5–81 | 83.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.5%67.8–74.7 | 73.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 50.7%45.4–56.1 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 64.5%55.4–73 | 70.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.4%19.6–27.4 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.5%30.9–44 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.8%23.7–34 | 24.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 35.9%29.4–42 | 20.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 26.7%22.2–31.3 | 16.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 18%15.1–21 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 17.3%14.5–20.3 | 11% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 30.9%25.2–36.5 | 16.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 42%36.3–47.9 | 34% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.8%17–22.9 | 15.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.2%17.9–24.6 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.6%7.5–9.8 | 8.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 11.2%9.6–12.8 | 7.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.6%10.7–14.6 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.1%6.1–8.2 | 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 Meadow Lake
Is Meadow Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Meadow Lake is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns: D for health, #66 of 73 in New Mexico. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 35%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Meadow Lake?
CDC estimates 39.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.6% and 47.5%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Meadow Lake?
Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque, 19.6 miles in a straight line from Meadow Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Meadow Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 26.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 21–32.3%), 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 Meadow Lake more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Meadow Lake.
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.