Peter and Henriette Wyeth Hurd House · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Ruidoso Downs is healthier than 96%
Ruidoso Downs differs from New Mexico on 2 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ruidoso Downs. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ruidoso Downs
Ruidoso Downs is short on primary care and mental health care
Ruidoso Downs’ county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Ruidoso Downs is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Ruidoso Downs is healthier than 42%. Against the 714 towns with similar household incomes ($24K–$39K), it’s healthier than 96%. 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 Ruidoso Downs’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Ruidoso Downs’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ruidoso Downs is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns, #31 of 73 in New Mexico. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 73% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 16%).
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). Ruidoso Downs’ median household income is $31,354; among the 714 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($24K–$39K), it’s healthier than 96%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Few New Mexico towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Ruidoso Downs is healthier than 58% of graded towns, against 42% nationally.
Care in and near Ruidoso Downs
No hospital or community health center in Ruidoso Downs 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 Ruidoso Downs; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Ruidoso Downs adults…
Ruidoso Downs runs below NM on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Mexico
Share of adults, with the New Mexico figure marked.
1.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Ruidoso Downs adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.
How Ruidoso Downs adults are doing
About the same as New Mexico on each measure.
1 in 3 Ruidoso Downs 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.
18.3% of Ruidoso Downs adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
Ruidoso Downs and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruidoso Downs | C+ | 32.6% | 13.2% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| Ruidoso | B− | 30.7% | 14.2% | 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 Ruidoso Downs adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ruidoso Downs
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ruidoso Downs is better than New Mexico on 1 and worse on 1; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside Ruidoso Downs’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ruidoso Downs | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.1%21.8–28.6 | 24% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14–18.1 | 15.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.4–18.7 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.6%25.9–40.3 | 34.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.2%11.4–15.2 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.5%30.4–38.8 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.4%29.3–37.9 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.2%22.1–28.5 | 25.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.5–11.1 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7%6.3–7.8 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.3–8 | 7.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.8%5.8–7.8 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4.1 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.2%9–13.7 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.9%11.6–16.4 | 13.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.2%22.7–32.2 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.5%11.8–17.7 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.9%27.6–40.4 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 17%13.9–20.3 | 15.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 68.9%64.6–73.3 | 69% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.7%52.7–60.5 | 61.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.9%80.5–85.2 | 83.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.8%70.5–77 | 73.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.9%50.3–61.3 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.2%58.1–75.1 | 70.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.5%19.9–27.4 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.6%29.6–40.1 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.8%21.1–28.9 | 24.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.1%18.6–25.7 | 20.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.6%14.9–20.5 | 16.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.9%10.1–13.8 | 11.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.3%9.7–12.9 | 11% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.3%15.2–21.6 | 16.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35%30.5–39.9 | 34% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.8%13.7–18.2 | 15.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.3%14.1–18.5 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.3%7.3–9.4 | 8.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.4%6.7–8.3 | 7.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.5%8.3–10.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 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 Ruidoso Downs
Is Ruidoso Downs a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ruidoso Downs is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #31 of 73 in New Mexico. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ruidoso Downs?
CDC estimates 32.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.9% and 40.3%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ruidoso Downs?
Lincoln County Medical Center in Ruidoso, 2.0 miles in a straight line from Ruidoso Downs’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ruidoso Downs have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 17% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.9–20.3%), 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 Ruidoso Downs 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 Ruidoso Downs.
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.