Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Waterflow is healthier than 81%
Waterflow differs from New Mexico on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Waterflow. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waterflow
Waterflow is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Waterflow is healthier than 57%. Against the 9,289 towns with similar household incomes ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 81%. Health Grade ↓
Waterflow is short on primary care and mental health care
Waterflow’s 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 ↓
Waterflow is an active town
Only 19.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.6% across New Mexico. Habits ↓
Asthma runs high in Waterflow
1 in 8 adults have asthma (11.9%), vs 9.9% across New Mexico. Conditions ↓
Nearly everyone in Waterflow is insured
Only 7.8% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 15.6% across New Mexico. Checkups ↓
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 Waterflow’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Waterflow’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waterflow is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 87% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 33%).
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). Waterflow’s median household income is $61,429; among the 9,289 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 81%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Waterflow
No hospital or community health center in Waterflow 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 Waterflow; ≈ 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.
1.8 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Waterflow adults…
Waterflow runs above NM on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Waterflow adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Mexico.
How Waterflow adults are doing
About the same as New Mexico on each measure.
4 in 10 Waterflow 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.
12.5% of Waterflow adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 16.9% across New Mexico.
Waterflow and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterflow | B | 30.9% | 11.9% | 15.6% | CDC place |
| Nenahnezad | — | — | — | — | |
| Fruitland | — | — | — | — |
Nenahnezad and Fruitland: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Waterflow adults live with a disability (New Mexico 34%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Waterflow
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waterflow is better than New Mexico on 4 and worse on 3; on the rest, the New Mexico figure falls inside Waterflow’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waterflow | NM | U.S. | vs NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20%17.4–22.8 | 24% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.5–17.2 | 15.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%15.3–19.3 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.9%26–36 | 34.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.9%10.4–13.5 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.4%28.1–34.8 | 34.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.6%28.3–35.1 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.4%23.6–29.3 | 25.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.6–13.4 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.1%7.3–8.9 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%6.2–7.7 | 7.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.6%5.7–7.6 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.2 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.3%15.5–21.4 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.6%13.1–18.1 | 13.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.2%16.2–22.5 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 13.9%11.5–16.7 | 13.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.4%31.3–39.8 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.8%6.3–9.6 | 15.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.4%67.4–75 | 69% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.2%60.1–66.4 | 61.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85%82.8–87 | 83.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.3%69.8–76.6 | 73.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.8%54.6–62.9 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 62.5%55.4–69.1 | 70.3% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.8%18.8–24.9 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36%31.7–40.7 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.8%23.2–30.8 | 24.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.8%14–19.9 | 20.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.3%12.1–16.7 | 16.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11%9.4–12.7 | 11.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.7%9.2–12.3 | 11% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.5%10.2–15.2 | 16.9% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.2%30.5–38.3 | 34% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%12.4–16.2 | 15.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.3%13.4–17.4 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.2%8.2–10.2 | 8.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%5.1–6.4 | 7.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%7.9–10.2 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.5–4.5 | 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 Waterflow
Is Waterflow a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waterflow is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waterflow?
CDC estimates 30.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 26% and 36%, against 34.1% across New Mexico and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waterflow?
San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, 14.5 miles in a straight line from Waterflow’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Waterflow have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.3–9.6%), 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 Waterflow more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Waterflow.
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.