First Presbyterian Church · Photo: Larry D. Moore · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Van Horn is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns
Van Horn differs from Texas on 22 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 21 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Van Horn. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Van Horn
Dental care lags in Van Horn
43.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 54.6% across Texas. Among those 65 and older, 20% have lost all their teeth (Texas 12.5%). Van Horn’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
More Van Horn adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (41.3%), vs 27.8% across Texas. Habits ↓
Diabetes, heart disease and stroke run high in Van Horn
1 in 5 adults have diabetes (19.6%), vs 12.7% across Texas. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.4%), vs 5.6% across Texas. Stroke is also above the state: 4.5%, vs 3.2% across Texas. In all, Van Horn runs above Texas on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% 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 Van Horn’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Van Horn’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Van Horn is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 51% of U.S. towns); no exercise 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). Van Horn’s median household income is $59,707; among the 8,833 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 17%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Van Horn 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.
0.7 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Van Horn adults…
Van Horn runs above TX on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Van Horn is an older town: 26% 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 Van Horn as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Van Horn
No hospital or community health center in Van Horn 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 Van Horn; ≈ 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 Van Horn adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Van Horn 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.
21.3% of Van Horn adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Van Horn and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Horn | D | 40.8% | 19.6% | 15.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Van Horn adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Van Horn
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Van Horn is better than Texas on 1 and worse on 21; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Van Horn’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Van Horn | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 34.2%29.4–39 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%15.6–20.7 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%14.7–19.3 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.8%31.8–50.1 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 19.6%17–22.2 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39.5%35–43.8 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40%35.3–44.5 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 25.5%22.2–28.8 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.1%7.9–10.3 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6%5.3–6.7 | 6.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.4%7.3–9.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.7%6.5–8.9 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4–5 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20%17.9–22.1 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%12.7–18.2 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 41.3%34.8–47.4 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%11.6–17.3 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.2%36.7–43.5 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 34%28.3–40.2 | 19.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.2%68.8–77.1 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 43.6%41.3–45.7 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.7%80.1–85.4 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.6%74.8–80.3 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 54.8%51.8–57.5 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.1%64.7–73.1 | 74.1% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.6%16.3–22.9 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 32%29.8–34.3 | 28.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 28.6%27–30.2 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 21.2%19.9–22.5 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.8%11.8–13.8 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.4%12.6–14.2 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.3%19.9–22.8 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.5%35.6–46.9 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.2%18.8–25.2 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.8%16–21.7 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.9%9.4–12.5 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.2%9.5–12.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.7%5.6–7.7 | 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 Van Horn
Is Van Horn a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Van Horn is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 17%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Van Horn?
CDC estimates 40.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.8% and 50.1%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Van Horn?
Culberson Hospital in Van Horn, 12.9 miles in a straight line from Van Horn’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Van Horn have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 34% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 28.3–40.2%), 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 Van Horn 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 Van Horn.
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.