Photo: Wordbuilder · CC BY 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Tucumcari is healthier than 83%
Tucumcari differs from New Mexico on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Tucumcari. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Tucumcari
Dental care lags in Tucumcari
53.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 61.4% across New Mexico. Among those 65 and older, 17.9% have lost all their teeth (New Mexico 14.2%). Tucumcari’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
Tucumcari is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Tucumcari’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
COPD, stroke and diabetes run high in Tucumcari
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.1%), vs 6.6% across New Mexico. 1 in 20 adults have had a stroke (5%), vs 3.8% across New Mexico. Diabetes is also above the state: 17.3%, vs 13.2% across New Mexico. In all, Tucumcari runs above New Mexico on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Tucumcari, and more people treating it
39.8% of adults have high blood pressure (New Mexico 34.3%), but 77.3% of them take medicine for it, vs 73.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
Tucumcari is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Tucumcari is healthier than 16%. Against the 766 towns with similar household incomes ($24K–$40K), it’s healthier than 83%. 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 Tucumcari’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Tucumcari’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tucumcari is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns, #57 of 73 in New Mexico. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 55% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 4%).
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). Tucumcari’s median household income is $31,844; among the 766 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($24K–$40K), it’s healthier than 83%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Keeping up with care
Share of Tucumcari adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.
Care in and near Tucumcari
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Tucumcari, 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 Tucumcari; ≈ 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 Tucumcari adults…
Tucumcari runs above NM on 7 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.
13 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
How Tucumcari adults are doing
About the same as New Mexico on each measure.
1 in 3 Tucumcari 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.
24.6% of Tucumcari adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
Tucumcari and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucumcari | C− | 38.7% | 17.3% | 16.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Tucumcari adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Tucumcari
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Tucumcari is better than New Mexico on 1 and worse on 17; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside Tucumcari’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Tucumcari | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 30.5%27–34.3 | 24% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%16.5–21 | 15.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.7–18.9 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.7%30.7–47.5 | 34.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17.3%15.1–19.8 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39.8%35.5–44.4 | 34.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.3%33.7–43.1 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.6%26.1–33.3 | 25.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.1%8.8–11.5 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.8%7–8.6 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.4%8.4–10.5 | 7.2% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.1%7.9–10.3 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5%4.6–5.5 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.9%14.6–21.7 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.1%13.7–18.6 | 13.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 33.4%28.3–38.8 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.4%9.9–15.2 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.4%28.5–42.9 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 20.1%17.1–23.4 | 15.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.2%66.5–75.6 | 69% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.1%48.8–57.6 | 61.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.9%80.5–85.1 | 83.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.3%74.1–80.4 | 73.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56%49.8–62 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 66.9%57.6–75.4 | 70.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.5%19–26.4 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.2%27.9–38.6 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25%21.1–28.9 | 24.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 27.6%23.9–31.5 | 20.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.7%17–22.5 | 16.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.8%11.9–15.7 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.3%11.6–15 | 11% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.6%21.2–28 | 16.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.3%35.3–45.3 | 34% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.1%18.6–23.9 | 15.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.2%16–20.5 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.5%9.3–11.7 | 8.5% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.1%9.2–11.2 | 7.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.8%10.6–13.3 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 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 Tucumcari
Is Tucumcari a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tucumcari is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #57 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 Tucumcari?
CDC estimates 38.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.7% and 47.5%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Tucumcari?
Dr Dan C Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari, 1.4 miles in a straight line from Tucumcari’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Tucumcari have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 20.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 17.1–23.4%), 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 Tucumcari more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Tucumcari.
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.