Health · Denver

Denver, CO health

Denver differs from Colorado on 13 of 33 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (5.8% vs 7.8%) and fewer adults with COPD (4.1% vs 5.3%). Where it trails the state: more binge drinkers (25.9% vs 19%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Denver

AHealth Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Denver’s Health Grade: A

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Denver is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns and 71% of Colorado towns.

ASelf-rated healthAPhysical distressA-Mental distressA+ObesityA+DiabetesASmokingAExercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 93%

Less healthyHealthier

Colorado towns we grade (220)Healthier than 71%

Towns with similar incomes, $71K–$118K (8,658)Healthier than 98%

About what its income would suggest. Denver does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Denver could be anywhere from A− to A+.

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 Denver 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. Denver 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 Denver 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 Denver adults…

21 of every 100 Denver adults have high blood pressure

Colorado: 27 in 100 · better · margin 19.2–23.3%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Denver, betterDenver, worseToo close to callColorado

Get no exerciseshare of adults 17.3% Denver
CO 17.7%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 28.6% Denver
CO 30.7%

Binge drinkshare of adults 25.9% Denver
CO 19%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 10.2% Denver
CO 10.9%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

Yearly checkup

CO 71%

Dentist visit

CO 65%

Cholesterol check

CO 85%

Colon screening

CO 62%

Mammogram

CO 72%

Taking BP meds

CO 70%

1 in 8

working-age adults has no health insurance

Denver 13.3% · Colorado 1 in 9 (11.1%)

Mind & connection

How Denver adults are doing

1 in 4Denver adults have been diagnosed with depression

22.9% · Colorado 22.7% · too close to call

1 in 6Denver adults are in frequent mental distress

15.5% · Colorado 16% · too close to call

Disability

Living with a disability

25.2%

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

Walking or climbing stairs9%

Thinking or memory13.8%

Hearing5.1%

Errands alone6.5%

Vision4.4%

Dressing or bathing2.8%

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

Around Denver

Denver and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are the nearest hospitals and community health centers.

20.9%35.8%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#3 of 37towns on this map, healthiest first

Denver21.6%

Cherry Hills Village21.8%

Greenwood Village22.2%

Bow Mar23.3%

Lakewood23.8%

Littleton24.3%

Englewood25.8%

Four Square Mile28.6%

Aurora29.1%

Sheridan30.1%

Berkley34.3%

Commerce City34.6%

North Washington34.8%

Care nearby

University of Colorado Hospital AuthorityAurora · 2.5 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Children's Hospital ColoradoAurora · 2.7 mi · ER · children's Directions Medicare profile

VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare SystemAurora · 3 mi · ★★★★★ · ER · VA Directions Medicare profile

Hca Healthone RoseDenver · 3.5 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Renaissance Xenia VillageDenver · 1.6 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Geneva Health CenterAurora · 1.7 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary carePart of Denver is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, North Denver · need score 19 of 25

! Dental carePart of Denver is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Adams West · need score 15 of 25

! Mental healthDenver's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Denver MHCA · need score 10 of 25

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Denver. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 33 measures for Denver

Measure	Denver	Margin	Colorado
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	21.2%	19.2–23.3%	27%	better
High cholesterol	27.7%	25.3–30.3%	31.5%	better
Obesity	21.6%	18.6–24.7%	26.1%	better
Arthritis	17.8%	16.1–19.6%	22.9%	better
Depression	22.9%	20.5–25.5%	22.7%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	9.5%	7.7–11.3%	9.2%	about the same
Asthma	10.4%	9.3–11.6%	10.9%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	5.8%	5.3–6.4%	7.8%	better
Diabetes	7.1%	6.3–8%	8.6%	better
COPD	4.1%	3.7–4.6%	5.3%	better
Heart disease	4%	3.6–4.4%	5.1%	better
Stroke	2.3%	2.1–2.4%	2.7%	better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	10.2%	9–11.5%	10.9%	about the same
Binge drink	25.9%	23.3–28.7%	19%	worse
Get no exercise	17.3%	15.3–19.5%	17.7%	about the same
Sleep under 7 hours	28.6%	25.4–31.7%	30.7%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	69.2%	66.2–72%	71.4%	about the same
Dentist visit	65.2%	62.4–67.7%	64.6%	about the same
Cholesterol check	83.4%	81.8–85%	85.2%	worse
Colon screening	61.9%	58.1–65.4%	62.4%	about the same
Mammogram	72.5%	66.3–77.7%	71.6%	about the same
Taking BP meds	64.8%	61.8–67.7%	69.5%	worse
No health insurance	13.3%	12–14.8%	11.1%	worse
Mind & connection
Frequent mental distress	15.5%	14–17%	16%	about the same
Fair or poor health	14.7%	13.2–16.2%	15.5%	about the same
Frequent physical distress	10.9%	9.8–12%	11.9%	about the same
Disability
Any disability	25.2%	22.8–27.7%	27.1%
Walking or climbing stairs	9%	8–10%	10.4%
Thinking or memory	13.8%	12.5–15.2%	13.9%
Hearing	5.1%	4.6–5.7%	6.4%
Vision	4.4%	4.1–4.8%	4.2%
Dressing or bathing	2.8%	2.6–3%	2.9%
Errands alone	6.5%	5.9–7.2%	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 Denver door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Colorado figure falls inside it, we don't call Denver better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Denver 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.