Photo: Mathieu Lebreton from Paris, France · CC BY 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Marfa is healthier than 59%
Marfa differs from Texas on 16 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Marfa. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Marfa
Heart disease, diabetes and COPD run high in Marfa
1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9%), vs 5.6% across Texas. 1 in 5 adults have diabetes (18.9%), vs 12.7% across Texas. COPD is also above the state: 8.4%, vs 5.7% across Texas. In all, Marfa runs above Texas on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (Texas 13%), and heart disease, diabetes and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Marfa is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Marfa’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 ↓
More Marfa adults get no exercise
36.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 27.8% across Texas. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in Marfa, and more people treating it
41.3% of adults have high blood pressure (Texas 33.1%), but 79.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 74.1% statewide. Checkups ↓
Marfa is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Marfa is healthier than 18%. Against the 3,759 towns with similar household incomes ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 59%. 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 Texas figure falls outside Marfa’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Marfa’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Marfa is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 66% of U.S. towns); diabetes 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). Marfa’s median household income is $44,306; among the 3,759 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 59%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Marfa compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 79.8% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Marfa adults…
Marfa runs above TX on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Marfa is an older town: 28% of residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Marfa as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Marfa
1 community health center in Marfa, 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 Marfa; ≈ 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 Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
1.3 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Marfa adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
How Marfa 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.
18.5% of Marfa adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Marfa and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marfa | C− | 39.8% | 18.9% | 14.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Marfa adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Marfa
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Marfa is better than Texas on 1 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Marfa’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Marfa | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 30.2%25.8–34.9 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15–20 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14–18.3 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.8%30.9–49.3 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 18.9%16.4–21.6 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 41.3%36.9–46 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.3%36.7–46.2 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 28.8%25.3–32.5 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.4%8.3–10.7 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%7.9–10.2 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.4%7–10 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.1–5.3 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.8%16.4–23.5 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.7%12–17.7 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 36.5%30.5–42.4 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%11.6–17.2 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36%29.1–43.6 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 24.8%19.8–29.7 | 19.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.3%72.5–80 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.9%48.1–55.6 | 54.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.1%83.8–88.3 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.8%77–82.4 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 57.5%51.9–63 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.2%60.5–77.2 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.8%17.5–24.6 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.3%24.5–32.1 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.8%21.5–25.9 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.5%15.5–19.4 | 16.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.2%9.8–12.5 | 10.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.9%10.7–13 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.5%16.5–20.3 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.4%34–44.9 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.8%18.5–25.2 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.6%14.2–19.2 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10%8.7–11.3 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.4%8.1–11 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.6%9–12.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.3%5.3–7.3 | 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 Marfa
Is Marfa a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Marfa is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− 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 Marfa?
CDC estimates 39.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.9% and 49.3%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Marfa?
Big Bend Regional Medical Center in Alpine, 21.7 miles in a straight line from Marfa’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Marfa have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 24.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 19.8–29.7%), 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 Marfa more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Marfa.
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.