Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Rio Hondo is healthier than 85%
Rio Hondo differs from Texas on 15 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Rio Hondo. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Rio Hondo
Diabetes and heart disease run high in Rio Hondo
1 in 5 adults have diabetes (19.5%), vs 12.7% across Texas. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.5%), vs 5.6% across Texas. In all, Rio Hondo runs above Texas on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
1 in 3 working-age adults in Rio Hondo has no health insurance
34.7% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 19.1% across Texas. Checkups ↓
More Rio Hondo adults get no exercise
36.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 27.8% across Texas. Habits ↓
Rio Hondo is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Rio Hondo is healthier than 25%. Against the 1,372 towns with similar household incomes ($27K–$45K), it’s healthier than 85%. 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 Rio Hondo’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Rio Hondo’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rio Hondo is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 76% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Rio Hondo’s median household income is $35,682; among the 1,372 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($27K–$45K), it’s healthier than 85%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Rio Hondo adults…
Rio Hondo runs below TX on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Rio Hondo adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
0.5 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Rio Hondo
No hospital or community health center in Rio Hondo 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 Rio Hondo; ≈ 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).
How Rio Hondo adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Rio Hondo runs above Texas.
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.
19.3% of Rio Hondo adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Rio Hondo and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Hondo | C− | 39.6% | 19.5% | 12.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Rio Hondo adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Rio Hondo
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Rio Hondo is better than Texas on 2 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Rio Hondo’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Rio Hondo | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 30.5%26.4–35 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.3–18.8 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.6–17.5 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.6%34.9–44.7 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 19.5%17.3–22 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36%32.8–39.3 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39%35.8–42.5 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 22.1%19.7–24.6 | 21.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 8.7%7.7–9.8 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.6%5–6.2 | 6.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.5–8.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.3%5.3–7.4 | 5.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.6–4.6 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.3%11–15.8 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.4%10.2–14.8 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 36.5%31.7–41.8 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.9%12.5–17.3 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.3%32.9–41.6 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 34.7%28.8–41 | 19.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.4%69.8–76.5 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.4%52.1–58.6 | 54.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.2%82.6–87.4 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.4%75.6–80.9 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.5%54–62.5 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.4%69–80.7 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.1%15.8–20.8 | 21.2% | 20.6% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 32%28.7–35.3 | 28.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 26.1%24–28.3 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.9%18.9–22.9 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.6%11.3–14 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.8%11.7–14 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.3%17.4–21.2 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.5%32.1–41.3 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.6%16.8–22.8 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.9%14.5–19.6 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.3%7.4–9.4 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.4%9.1–12.1 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.3%8.8–11.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.2%5.3–7.2 | 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 Rio Hondo
Is Rio Hondo a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rio Hondo is healthier than 25% 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 Rio Hondo?
CDC estimates 39.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.9% and 44.7%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Rio Hondo?
Harlingen Medical Center in Harlingen, 5.5 miles in a straight line from Rio Hondo’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Rio Hondo have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 34.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 28.8–41%), 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 Rio Hondo 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 Rio Hondo.
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.