Health Profile of Union County, New Mexico
Union County Health Score
The Map AI Health Index is a score that reflects local life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and physical environment to help you quickly compare the overall health and well-being of different areas.
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B
Union County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Union County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.5 | 78.6 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 10.4% | 9.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 17.2% | 17.9% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Union County is 78.5 years, about 0.1 years shorter than the New Mexico average of 78.6 years. The uninsured rate is 10.4%, higher than the New Mexico average of 9.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 17.2% of residents, lower than the New Mexico average of 17.9%.
Population by Age
Older residents
1,547 residents in Union County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 110 39 men · 71 women
- 75–84 266 113 men · 153 women
- 65–74 428 194 men · 234 women
- 50–64 743 414 men · 328 women
Younger residents
836 residents in Union County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 189 81 boys · 108 girls
- 7–12 271 127 boys · 144 girls
- 3–7 229 116 boys · 113 girls
- 0–3 148 78 boys · 70 girls
About 257 residents in Union County (6.4% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.5 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Union County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.4% | 13.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.4% | 7.4% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 30.6% | 31.4% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Union County are about the same as in New Mexico.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Union County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 19.3% | 18.0% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.1% | 13.1% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 24.9% | 24.9% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Union County are about the same as in New Mexico.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 6,093 cigarettes a day, 182,790 a month, or 2.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 67,023 minutes a day and 24.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Union County is 78.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.59 lifetimes a year.
* Source: Shaw M, Mitchell R, Dorling D. "Time for a smoke? One cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes." BMJ. 2000;320:53.
Illustrative only. This is not an estimate of how many people actually die from smoking each day or year - it's a rough, order-of-magnitude comparison meant to help grasp the scale of smoking in this area. We take no responsibility for any decisions made based on this figure.
Air Quality
| Metric | Union County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 4.41 | 4.71 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 4.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Union County is very good — well within WHO health guidelines, with minimal health risk from air pollution.
Union County, NM Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Union County, NM is the 4th largest of the 5 counties compared here, 4,013 residents against a local median of 6,257. The measure that sets Union County, NM apart most is uninsured: 10.4%, 43% below the local median of 18.2%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Obesity tells the same story from another angle: 30.6% against a local median of 36.2%, 15% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Union County, NM is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 16.0% on uninsured, so Union County, NM sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Union County, NM has the 2nd lowest uninsured of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, NM | 4,013 | 78.5 yrs #4/5 | 10.4% #2/5 | 30.6% #2/5 |
| Dallam County, TX | 7,298 | 77.3 yrs | 24.4% | 35.6% |
| Cimarron County, OK | 2,218 | 82.5 yrs | 19.8% | 37.7% |
| Las Animas County, CO | 14,413 | 78.6 yrs | 8.4% | 28.9% |
| Hartley County, TX | 5,215 | 83.5 yrs | 16.5% | 36.8% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Union County, New Mexico has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than New Mexico, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Union County, New Mexico.
Is Union County, New Mexico a healthy place to live?
Union County, New Mexico has a Map AI Health Index grade of B, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a B grade means residents are somewhat healthier than the U.S. average.
Is Union County, New Mexico one of the healthiest counties in New Mexico?
Union County ranks 19th healthiest out of 32 counties in New Mexico by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the life expectancy in Union County, New Mexico?
People in Union County, New Mexico can expect to live 78.5 years on average, about the same as the New Mexico average of 78.6.
What is the uninsured rate in Union County, New Mexico?
10.4% of residents in Union County, New Mexico have no health insurance, about 1 in 10 people, 0.8 points above the New Mexico rate of 9.6%.
What is the obesity rate in Union County, New Mexico?
30.6% of adults in Union County, New Mexico are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 0.8 points below the New Mexico rate of 31.4%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Union County, New Mexico go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 6,093 cigarettes a day, 182,790 a month, or 2.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 67,023 minutes a day and 24.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Union County is 78.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.59 lifetimes a year.
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