Photo: Not home at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Laredo as a whole is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns
Laredo differs from Texas on 15 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Laredo. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Laredo
More Laredo adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (39.6%), vs 27.8% across Texas. There are 90 miles of trails across 73 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Laredo
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (32.1%), vs 19.3% across Texas. No reliable transportation (16% vs 10.5%) and housing insecurity (24.6% vs 16.4%) are higher too. 25.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Laredo
45.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 54.6% across Texas. Among those 65 and older, 18.6% have lost all their teeth (Texas 12.5%). Checkups ↓
Laredo has a top-rated hospital
Doctors Hospital of Laredo is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Texas figure falls outside Laredo’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
What’s behind Laredo’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Laredo is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns, #479 of 641 in Texas. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 66% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Laredo’s median household income is $63,915; among the 9,711 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 20%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Laredo compares well: arthritis, 18.8% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 4% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 269,515 residents, Laredo is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
90 miles of trails across 73 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
25.7% of Laredo adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Laredo adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Care in and near Laredo
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Laredo, 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 Laredo; ≈ 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 Laredo adults…
Laredo runs below TX on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Laredo residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
How Laredo adults are doing
About the same as Texas on each measure.
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.
Laredo and the towns around it
Laredo’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 graded towns around it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laredo | C− | 42.2% | 16.4% | 13.1% | CDC place |
| Los Minerales | — | — | — | — | |
| Laredo Ranchettes | — | — | — | — | |
| La Presa | — | — | — | — | |
| Tanquecitos South Acres | — | — | — | — | |
| Los Corralitos | — | — | — | — | |
| Rio Bravo | D− | 48.3% | 22.1% | 20.2% | CDC place |
| San Carlos I | — | — | — | — |
Los Minerales, Laredo Ranchettes, La Presa, Tanquecitos South Acres, Los Corralitos and San Carlos I: 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 Laredo adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Laredo
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Laredo is better than Texas on 2 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Laredo’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Laredo | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 32%29.1–35.3 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.7–18.4 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15.5–19.5 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.2%33.8–51 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.4%14.5–18.5 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 31.5%27.8–35.5 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.7%29.7–38 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 18.8%16.4–21.5 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.8%7.8–10 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4%3.6–4.4 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.4–6.6 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.3%4.8–5.9 | 5.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%3.1–3.6 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.6%15.5–21.9 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.1%11.4–15 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 39.6%34.7–44.7 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%13.2–19.4 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.3%31.5–45.2 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 35.7%32.8–39 | 19.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.9%66.7–75 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 45.2%41.6–48.8 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.8%78.6–82.7 | 84.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.2%69.3–75 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 49.2%43.8–54.4 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.4%61.8–77.7 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.3%16.3–22.7 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.5%27.7–35.5 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 32.1%29.6–34.6 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 24.6%22.3–27.1 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.3%13.6–17 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 16%14.6–17.3 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 25.7%23.5–27.8 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.7%34.4–43.3 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.6%16.7–20.8 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.1%17.3–21.2 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.4–8 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.9%10.1–11.7 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.6%9.7–11.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.2%5.7–6.7 | 4% | 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 Texas figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Laredo
Is Laredo a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Laredo is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #479 of 641 in Texas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 20%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Laredo?
CDC estimates 42.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.8% and 51%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Laredo?
Doctors Hospital of Laredo in Laredo, 2.0 miles in a straight line from Laredo’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Laredo have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 35.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 32.8–39%), against 19.1% across Texas.
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 Laredo 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 Laredo.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Texas 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.