On CDC estimates, Sandia Knolls is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns
Sandia Knolls differs from New Mexico on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 23 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sandia Knolls. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sandia Knolls
Sandia Knolls keeps up with checkups
It beats New Mexico on five of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (72.7% vs 69%) and dentist visits (77.3% vs 61.4%). Checkups ↓
Cancer runs high in Sandia Knolls
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.7%), vs 7.4% across New Mexico. Conditions ↓
Sandia Knolls is an active town
Only 14.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.6% 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 Sandia Knolls’ likely range.
What’s behind Sandia Knolls’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sandia Knolls is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 98% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 84%.
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). Sandia Knolls’ median household income is $91,827; among the 9,751 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$115K), it’s healthier than 99%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sandia Knolls adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Mexico
Share of adults, with the New Mexico figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Out of every 100 Sandia Knolls adults…
Sandia Knolls runs below NM on 5 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Sandia Knolls
No hospital or community health center in Sandia Knolls 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 Sandia Knolls; ≈ 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 Sandia Knolls adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Sandia Knolls does better than New Mexico.
3 in 10 Sandia Knolls 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.
4.9% of Sandia Knolls adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
Sandia Knolls and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandia Knolls | A | 28% | 9.4% | 8.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sandia Knolls adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sandia Knolls
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sandia Knolls is better than New Mexico on 23 and worse on 2; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside Sandia Knolls’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sandia Knolls | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.9%11.4–16.7 | 24% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.7%9.8–13.7 | 15.5% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%10.7–14.6 | 16.1% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28%23.7–32.6 | 34.1% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.4%7.9–11.1 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 34.7%31.2–38.5 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.2%35.4–42.9 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 28.8%25.5–32.1 | 25.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.3–10.8 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.6–11.9 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.4–7.3 | 7.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.9%3.9–6.3 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3%2.6–3.5 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 4.3%3.4–5.3 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.8%6.4–11.2 | 13.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 14.8%11.8–18.2 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 13.9%11.6–16.4 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 25.5%22.2–29.1 | 32.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.7%4.4–7.1 | 15.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.7%69.1–76.1 | 69% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77.3%74.8–79.7 | 61.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91%89.5–92.4 | 83.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75%71.1–78.5 | 73.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.1%67.3–74.7 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.2%72.9–82.9 | 70.3% | 76.4% | Better |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%21–27.7 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.3%25.8–33.3 | 34.1% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19%16.2–22 | 24.5% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.9%5.4–8.7 | 20.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.6%5.3–8 | 16.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.5%3.7–5.4 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.4%3.7–5.3 | 11% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.9%3.6–6.5 | 16.9% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.7%20–27.6 | 34% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.2%8.2–12.5 | 15.5% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.4%7.8–11.2 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%5.9–8 | 8.5% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.3%2.8–3.9 | 7.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.4%4.4–6.5 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.2–3.2 | 4.7% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Sandia Knolls
Is Sandia Knolls a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sandia Knolls is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns: A for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 99%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sandia Knolls?
CDC estimates 28% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.7% and 32.6%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sandia Knolls?
Lovelace Women's Hospital in Albuquerque, 16.6 miles in a straight line from Sandia Knolls’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sandia Knolls have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.4–7.1%), 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 Sandia Knolls more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Sandia Knolls.
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.