Photo: Navajo Region Fire and Aviation Management Bureau of Indian Affairs · Public domainNavajo’s CDC health estimates rank near the bottom of U.S. towns
Navajo differs from New Mexico on 28 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 26 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Navajo. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Navajo
Smoking is more common in Navajo
1 in 3 adults smoke cigarettes (35.8%), more than twice the New Mexico rate. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Navajo
32.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 61.4% across New Mexico. Among those 65 and older, 41.6% have lost all their teeth (New Mexico 14.2%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Navajo
36.2% of adults were threatened with a utility shut-off, vs 11.2% across New Mexico (3 times the New Mexico rate). No reliable transportation (34.3% vs 11%) and food insecurity (57.6% vs 20.9%) are higher too. 58.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 16.9% 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 Navajo’s likely range.
What’s behind Navajo’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Navajo is near the bottom of U.S. towns. All seven of Navajo’s estimates fall in the lowest 7% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is mental distress: 29.3% of adults, against 16.1% across New Mexico and 15.9% nationally.
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). Navajo’s median household income is $32,208; among the 827 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($24K–$40K), it’s healthier than 11%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Navajo compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 30% (U.S. 37.1%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 4.1% (U.S. 7.9%).
Everyday habits, side by side with New Mexico
Share of adults, with the New Mexico figure marked.
Keeping up with care
Share of Navajo 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.
58.1% of Navajo adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
Out of every 100 Navajo adults…
Navajo runs below NM on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 7% of Navajo residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across New Mexico. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Navajo
No hospital or community health center in Navajo 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 Navajo; ≈ 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 Navajo adults are doing
On 4 of 4 measures, Navajo runs above New Mexico.
2 in 5 Navajo 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.
Navajo and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navajo | D− | 45.8% | 18% | 35.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Navajo adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Navajo
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Navajo is better than New Mexico on 2 and worse on 26; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside Navajo’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Navajo | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 41.5%36.3–47.1 | 24% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 24.6%21.5–27.8 | 15.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 29.3%26–32.6 | 16.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 45.8%39.5–52.2 | 34.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 18%15.9–20.2 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36%32.3–39.7 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30%26.6–33.6 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 24.1%21.4–27 | 25.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 16.2%14.3–18.2 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.4%7.5–9.4 | 7.2% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.8%10.9–15 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.7%5.1–6.5 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 41.6%35.9–47 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 35.8%30.5–41 | 13.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 36.2%30.6–41.9 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.8%10.5–15.6 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44.7%38.6–50.8 | 32.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 16.8%12.9–21.4 | 15.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 62.3%57.7–67 | 69% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 32.3%28.8–35.6 | 61.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 68.2%64.2–72.4 | 83.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 64.7%61.4–68.1 | 73.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 37.8%32.8–42.6 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 56.9%46.7–65.7 | 70.3% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.9%25–33 | 23.2% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 41%35.8–47 | 34.1% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 35%30–40.1 | 24.5% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 57.6%50.8–63.4 | 20.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 40.3%35–45.4 | 16.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 36.2%32–40.2 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 34.3%30–38.6 | 11% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 58.1%51.3–64.1 | 16.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 49.1%43.4–54.6 | 34% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 23.5%20.4–26.8 | 15.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 30.3%26–34.4 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.4%10–12.8 | 8.5% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 16.5%14.2–18.9 | 7.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 22.1%18.9–25.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 9.5%8.1–11.1 | 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 Navajo
Is Navajo a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Navajo is near the bottom of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 11%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Navajo?
CDC estimates 45.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 39.5% and 52.2%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Navajo?
Fort Defiance Indian Hospital in Ft. Defiance, 6.1 miles in a straight line from Navajo’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Navajo have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 16.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.9–21.4%), 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 Navajo more than anything measured there. Even at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade stays D−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Navajo.
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.