La Luz, NM (88337) is a small, rural town that faces unique health challenges. Despite its small size, the town boasts ample access to medical care with two local hospitals and a few medical facilities providing medical services to the population. Unfortunately, access to healthcare in La Luz is often limited due to the town's remote location. As a result, many residents rely on long-distance travel for more specialized care or healthcare that is not available locally. In addition, there is an elevated risk of health disparities due to financial limitations since many La Luz residents are living in poverty. The community has been actively working towards addressing these issues by advocating for improved access to health resources and information as well as increasing awareness of preventive health measures.
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 118 physicians per 100,000 population in La Luz (zip 88337). The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the La Luz (zip 88337) area is 93.0 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
93.0 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the La Luz (zip 88337) area is 47 (100=best). The US average is 55.
47 / 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 La Luz (zip 88337) area is 96 (100=best). The US average is 87.
96 / 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 La Luz (zip 88337) commutes 18.5 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 La Luz (zip 88337) area is 89 (100=best). The US average is 58.
89 / 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.