Ruidoso, New Mexico is a small mountain town with a population of around 8,000 people. Despite its size, the town has access to great health care options. In Ruidoso there are two hospitals: Lincoln County Medical Center and Sierra Blanca Regional Care Center. Both provide excellent services in a variety of departments such as surgery, cardiology, oncology and pediatrics. The city also has several medical facilities and clinics which offer primary care services and specialize in family medicine. Furthermore, numerous alternative healing centers such as yoga studios, chiropractors, massage therapists and physical therapy clinics are available throughout town. These acommodations make it easy for locals to get quality medical attention when needed. With such varied options for healthcare in the area it’s no surprise that many residents find Ruidoso to be an ideal place to live where they can stay healthy and active year-round.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 160 physicians per 100,000 population in Ruidoso. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Ruidoso area is 91.8 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
91.8 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Ruidoso area is 40 (100=best). The US average is 55.
40 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Ruidoso area is 40 (100=best). The US average is 87.
40 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Ruidoso commutes 16.6 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Ruidoso area is 88 (100=best). The US average is 58.
88 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.