Photo: B575 · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Santa Teresa is healthier than 58%
Santa Teresa beats New Mexico on 3 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Santa Teresa. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Santa Teresa is healthier than 40%. Against the 9,606 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 58%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and COPD are less common in Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa runs below New Mexico on cancer (6% vs 7.4%) and COPD (5.4% vs 6.6%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (New Mexico 19%). Conditions ↓
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 Santa Teresa’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Santa Teresa’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Santa Teresa is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns, #33 of 73 in New Mexico. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 83% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). Santa Teresa’s median household income is $63,161; among the 9,606 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 58%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Few New Mexico towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Santa Teresa is healthier than 56% of graded towns, against 40% nationally.
Where Santa Teresa compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6% (U.S. 7.9%).
Out of every 100 Santa Teresa adults…
Santa Teresa runs below NM on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Santa Teresa residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across New Mexico. COPD and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Santa Teresa
No hospital or community health center in Santa Teresa 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 Santa Teresa; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with New Mexico
Share of adults, with the New Mexico figure marked.
Keeping up with care
Share of Santa Teresa adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.
How Santa Teresa adults are doing
About the same as New Mexico on each measure.
1 in 3 Santa Teresa 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.
20% of Santa Teresa adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
Santa Teresa and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Teresa | C+ | 37.9% | 14.8% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| Sunland Park | D | 41.5% | 17.2% | 14.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Santa Teresa adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Santa Teresa
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Santa Teresa is better than New Mexico on 3 and worse on 0; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside Santa Teresa’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Santa Teresa | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.1%22.1–30.2 | 24% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.5–17.8 | 15.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%12.7–17 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.9%32.2–43.9 | 34.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.8%12.8–16.9 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.4%29.9–37 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.8%30.1–37.4 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.5%20.8–26.2 | 25.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.1%7.9–10.3 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6%5.4–6.6 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%5.8–7.4 | 7.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.4%4.5–6.4 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.1–3.9 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.7%9.7–13.9 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.1%8.8–13.5 | 13.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.1%23.4–33.1 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14%11.5–16.8 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.6%27.2–36.1 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 19.5%15.1–24.8 | 15.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 71%66.9–74.9 | 69% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62%58.4–65.4 | 61.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.5%80.4–86.1 | 83.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.7%70.5–76.7 | 73.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.5%50.7–60 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.2%63.9–77.7 | 70.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.9%17.8–24.2 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.8%28.4–37.4 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.5%19.7–27.4 | 24.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 24.7%19.8–30.4 | 20.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.6%15.9–23.8 | 16.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.9%10.6–15.4 | 11.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.1%9.9–14.6 | 11% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20%15.4–25 | 16.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.2%30.6–39.9 | 34% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.9%13.5–18.4 | 15.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.5%13–18.3 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–8.9 | 8.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8.3%7–9.6 | 7.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%7.6–10.7 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.2%4.4–6 | 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 Santa Teresa
Is Santa Teresa a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Santa Teresa is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #33 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 Santa Teresa?
CDC estimates 37.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.2% and 43.9%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Santa Teresa?
The Hospitals of Providence Transmountain Campus in El Paso, 7.8 miles in a straight line from Santa Teresa’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Santa Teresa have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 19.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 15.1–24.8%), 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 Santa Teresa more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Santa Teresa.
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.