Where Santa Maria residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Santa Maria, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Santa Maria. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Santa Maria
More Santa Maria adults get no exercise
44.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 27.8% across Texas. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Santa Maria
38.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 54.6% across Texas. Among those 65 and older, 22.8% have lost all their teeth (Texas 12.5%). Checkups ↓
Diabetes, heart disease and stroke run high in Santa Maria
1 in 4 adults have diabetes (22.8%), vs 12.7% across Texas. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (9.7%), vs 5.6% across Texas. Stroke is also above the state: 5.2%, vs 3.2% across Texas. In all, Santa Maria runs above Texas on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 34% of residents are 65 or older (Texas 13%), and diabetes, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
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 Santa Maria’s likely range.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Santa Maria adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Out of every 100 Santa Maria adults…
Santa Maria runs below TX on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Santa Maria is an older town: 34% of residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Heart disease, COPD and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Santa Maria as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Santa Maria
No hospital or community health center in Santa Maria 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 Santa Maria; ≈ 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 Santa Maria adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Santa Maria 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.
34.5% of Santa Maria adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Santa Maria and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Santa Maria adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Santa Maria
Why doesn’t Santa Maria have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Santa Maria.
What hospital is closest to Santa Maria?
Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco, 9.7 miles in a straight line from Santa Maria’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
Where can I get low-cost care near Santa Maria?
1 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Nuestra Clinica Del Valle - Mercedes in Mercedes, 7.1 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Santa Maria.
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. 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.