Photo: United States Air Force · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Laughlin AFB is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
Laughlin AFB differs from Texas on 24 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 20 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Laughlin AFB. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Laughlin AFB
Binge drinking is the habit Laughlin AFB doesn’t win on
29.3% of adults binge drink, vs 17% across Texas, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Diabetes and heart disease are less common in Laughlin AFB
Laughlin AFB runs below Texas on nine chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (2.5% vs 12.7%), heart disease (1.2% vs 5.6%) and stroke (0.7% vs 3.2%). A young population is part of it: only 1% of residents are 65 or older (Texas 13%). Conditions ↓
Laughlin AFB is short on primary care and mental health care
Laughlin AFB’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 ↓
Laughlin AFB is an active town
Only 12.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 27.8% across Texas. The town has 15 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
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 Laughlin AFB’s likely range.
What’s behind Laughlin AFB’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Laughlin AFB is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 19%).
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). Laughlin AFB’s median household income is $67,208; among the 10,236 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 100%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
Out of every 100 Laughlin AFB adults…
Laughlin AFB runs below TX on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 1% of Laughlin AFB residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Laughlin AFB
No hospital or community health center in Laughlin AFB 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 Laughlin AFB; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Laughlin AFB adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
How Laughlin AFB 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.8% of Laughlin AFB adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Laughlin AFB 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laughlin AFB | A | 23.4% | 2.5% | 6.4% | CDC place |
| Del Rio | C− | 38.8% | 17.9% | 13.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Laughlin AFB adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Laughlin AFB
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Laughlin AFB is better than Texas on 20 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Laughlin AFB’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Laughlin AFB | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 9.3%7.3–11.6 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 6.3%5.2–7.6 | 13.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19%15.9–22.3 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 23.4%17–30.7 | 35.6% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 2.5%2.1–2.9 | 12.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 12.4%10.2–14.9 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 16.8%14–19.9 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 6%5–7.1 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.7%7.6–9.9 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 1.7%1.5–1.9 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 1.2%1–1.4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 1.6%1.3–2 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 0.7%0.6–0.8 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.6%7.7–11.7 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 6.4%4.5–8.7 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 12.9%9.7–16.8 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 29.3%24.4–34.6 | 17% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34%27.4–41.2 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.4%7.8–13.6 | 19.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 62.3%57.1–67.8 | 73.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.1%59.5–66.9 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 74.6%69.8–78.9 | 84.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 38.5%35.1–42 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.8%56.6–66.8 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.2%69.9–83.5 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.7%19.9–27.7 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.6%24.8–32.6 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.5%10.2–13 | 19.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.2%9.9–12.7 | 16.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7%6.1–8 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.8%8–9.8 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.8%6–7.7 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 20%15.8–24.8 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 3%2.5–3.6 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.1%11.2–17.5 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 2.4%2–2.8 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.2%1.8–2.6 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5%3.9–6.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1%0.9–1.2 | 4% | 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 Texas figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Laughlin AFB
Is Laughlin AFB a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Laughlin AFB is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 100%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Laughlin AFB?
CDC estimates 23.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 17% and 30.7%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Laughlin AFB?
Val Verde Regional Medical Center in Del Rio, 7.1 miles in a straight line from Laughlin AFB’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Laughlin AFB have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–13.6%), 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 Laughlin AFB more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Laughlin AFB.
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.