Health · Center

Center, CO health

Center differs from Colorado on 14 of 33 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (5.4% vs 7.8%) and fewer binge drinkers (14.4% vs 19%). Where it trails the state: more uninsured adults (28.5% vs 11.1%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Center
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Center’s Health Grade: C

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Center is healthier than 33% of U.S. towns, and than 78% of towns with similar incomes.

DSelf-rated healthDPhysical distressBMental distressA-ObesityDDiabetesB+SmokingC-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 33%
Less healthyHealthier
Colorado towns we grade (220)Healthier than 4%
Towns with similar incomes, $34K–$57K (4,040)Healthier than 78%

Better than its income would suggest. Center is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Center could be anywhere from D to B.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Colorado ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Center with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Center uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Center compares with Colorado

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Center adults…

32 of every 100 Center adults have high blood pressure
Colorado: 27 in 100 · worse · margin 28–36.3%

Bars show Center; the black tick is Colorado. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Center, betterCenter, worseToo close to callColorado
Get no exerciseshare of adults 31.7% Center
CO 17.7%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 34.8% Center
CO 30.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 14.4% Center
CO 19%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 12.9% Center
CO 10.9%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Center adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.

70%
Yearly checkup
CO 71%
49%
Dentist visit
CO 65%
82%
Cholesterol check
CO 85%
55%
Colon screening
CO 62%
68%
Mammogram
CO 72%
71%
Taking BP meds
CO 70%
1 in 4
working-age adults has no health insurance
Center 28.5% · Colorado 1 in 9 (11.1%)
Mind & connection

How Center adults are doing

1 in 5Center adults have been diagnosed with depression
18.8% · Colorado 22.7% · better
1 in 6Center adults are in frequent mental distress
16.3% · Colorado 16% · too close to call
Disability

Living with a disability

37.7%

of Center adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs18.2%
Thinking or memory18.6%
Hearing8.3%
Errands alone10.1%
Vision10.4%
Dressing or bathing6.2%

Black tick: Colorado. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Center

1 community health center in Center, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERRio Grande HospitalDel Norte · 8.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySan Luis Valley Regional Medical Center★★★★★ · 23 miDirections →
+Low-cost careValley-Wide Health SystemsCenter · 0.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.1 mi
Valley-Wide Health Systems
8 sites · nearest in Center
Sliding-scale feesIn Center
Directions to nearest
8.3 mi
Rio Grande Hospital
Del Norte · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
23 mi
San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center
Alamosa · ★★★★★
ER
34.8 mi
San Luis Valley Health Conejos County Hospital
La Jara · not rated
Rural critical access
63.2 mi
Pagosa Springs Medical Center
Pagosa Springs · not rated
ERRural critical access
! Primary careCenter's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Rio Grande County · need score 20 of 25
! Dental careCenter's county is a federal shortage area.Saguache County · need score 18 of 25
! Mental healthCenter's county is a federal shortage area.San Luis Valley MHCA · need score 19 of 25

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 Center. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 33 measures for Center
MeasureCenterMarginColorado
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure32%28–36.3%27%worse
High cholesterol35%30.8–39.5%31.5%about the same
Obesity32.1%24.6–40.5%26.1%about the same
Arthritis23.2%20.2–26.6%22.9%about the same
Depression18.8%15.6–22.3%22.7%better
Lost all teeth (65+)17.8%14.7–21.3%9.2%worse
Asthma10.2%8.8–11.6%10.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)5.4%4.9–6%7.8%better
Diabetes16%13.7–18.5%8.6%worse
COPD6%4.9–7.3%5.3%about the same
Heart disease7%6–8%5.1%worse
Stroke3.8%3.3–4.4%2.7%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes12.9%10–16.1%10.9%about the same
Binge drink14.4%11.7–17.4%19%better
Get no exercise31.7%25.8–38%17.7%worse
Sleep under 7 hours34.8%28.4–41.6%30.7%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup70.1%65.6–74.3%71.4%about the same
Dentist visit49.3%45.6–53.1%64.6%worse
Cholesterol check82.3%79.3–85.2%85.2%about the same
Colon screening55.3%49.9–60.7%62.4%worse
Mammogram68.3%59.7–76%71.6%about the same
Taking BP meds71.4%67.9–74.8%69.5%about the same
No health insurance28.5%22.3–35.1%11.1%worse
Mind & connection
Frequent mental distress16.3%13.9–18.8%16%about the same
Fair or poor health29.4%24.3–34.9%15.5%worse
Frequent physical distress17.1%14.4–19.9%11.9%worse
Disability
Any disability37.7%31.9–43.9%27.1%
Walking or climbing stairs18.2%15–21.7%10.4%
Thinking or memory18.6%15.3–22.2%13.9%
Hearing8.3%7.2–9.4%6.4%
Vision10.4%8.7–12.4%4.2%
Dressing or bathing6.2%5–7.5%2.9%
Errands alone10.1%8.3–12.2%6.7%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Center door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Colorado figure falls inside it, we don't call Center better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Center directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Colorado figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01