Herman's, Roy T., Garage and Service Station · Photo: Bill Eichelberger · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Thoreau is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns
Thoreau differs from New Mexico on 26 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 25 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Thoreau. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Thoreau
Dental care lags in Thoreau
38.8% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 61.4% across New Mexico. Among those 65 and older, 40.7% have lost all their teeth (New Mexico 14.2%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Thoreau
3 in 10 adults smoke cigarettes (29.6%), more than twice the New Mexico rate. Habits ↓
COPD, stroke and asthma run high in Thoreau
1 in 8 adults have COPD (11.9%), vs 6.6% across New Mexico. 1 in 17 adults have had a stroke (5.9%), vs 3.8% across New Mexico. Asthma is also above the state: 14.8%, vs 9.9% across New Mexico. In all, Thoreau runs above New Mexico on six of 11 chronic conditions. 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 Thoreau’s likely range.
What’s behind Thoreau’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Thoreau is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns. All seven of Thoreau’s estimates fall in the lowest 14% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is smoking: 29.6% of adults, against 13.4% across New Mexico and 11.8% 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). Thoreau’s median household income is $45,469; among the 4,171 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($34K–$57K), it’s healthier than 6%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Thoreau compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.4% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Thoreau 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.
Out of every 100 Thoreau adults…
Thoreau runs below NM on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 7. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Thoreau
1 community health center in Thoreau, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Thoreau; ≈ 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 Thoreau adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Thoreau runs above New Mexico.
2 in 5 Thoreau 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.
42.7% of Thoreau adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
Thoreau and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thoreau | D− | 41.4% | 18.3% | 29.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Thoreau adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Thoreau
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Thoreau is better than New Mexico on 1 and worse on 25; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside Thoreau’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Thoreau | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 37.5%33.3–42.3 | 24% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 23%20.5–26 | 15.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 25.1%22.4–28.2 | 16.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.4%35.4–47.7 | 34.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 18.3%16.3–20.6 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.2%33.6–41.1 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.3%29.6–37.3 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26%23.3–29 | 25.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 14.8%13.1–16.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.4%4.9–6 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.3%8.4–10.4 | 7.2% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.9%10.4–13.7 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.9%5.4–6.5 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 40.7%35.3–46.1 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 29.6%25.8–33.9 | 13.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 33.2%28.6–38.6 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.7%10.4–15.3 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.2%36.4–48.1 | 32.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.9%12.9–19.4 | 15.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 64.3%59.9–68.7 | 69% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 38.8%35.1–42.4 | 61.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 73.8%70.5–77 | 83.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.9%66.6–73.2 | 73.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 38.1%32.8–43.3 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 57.6%48.6–66 | 70.3% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.7%22.4–29.6 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39.9%34.8–45.2 | 34.1% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 34.4%30–39.3 | 24.5% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 46.3%41.1–52 | 20.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 31.9%28–36.2 | 16.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 26.1%23.2–29.3 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 26.2%23.2–29.6 | 11% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 42.7%37.5–48.1 | 16.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 45.6%40.9–51.1 | 34% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 23.1%20.5–26.3 | 15.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 25.9%22.8–29.6 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.7%10.5–13.2 | 8.5% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 13.8%12.3–15.6 | 7.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 18.4%16.2–20.9 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 8.5%7.5–9.6 | 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 Thoreau
Is Thoreau a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Thoreau is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 6%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Thoreau?
CDC estimates 41.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.4% and 47.7%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Thoreau?
Crownpoint Healthcare Facility in Crownpoint, 27.2 miles in a straight line from Thoreau’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Thoreau have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.9–19.4%), 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 Thoreau more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Thoreau.
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.