Golden, CO health
Golden differs from Colorado on 14 of 33 measures. It has fewer adults who get no exercise (12.6% vs 17.7%) and fewer uninsured adults (8.2% vs 11.1%). Where it trails the state: more binge drinkers (22% vs 19%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for GoldenGolden’s Health Grade: A
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Golden is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns and 70% of Colorado towns.
About what its income would suggest. Golden does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
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 Golden 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. Golden 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.
How Golden 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
Habits
Care & screenings
Mind & connection
Disability
Out of every 100 Golden adults…
Bars show Golden; the black tick is Colorado. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
CO 17.7%
CO 30.7%
CO 19%
CO 10.9%
Keeping up with care
Share of Golden adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
How Golden adults are doing
Living with a disability
of Golden adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Black tick: Colorado. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Golden and the towns around it
Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Golden.
Obesity
Care nearby
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 Golden. 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 Golden
| Measure | Golden | Margin | Colorado | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 24.3% | 22–26.6% | 27% | better |
| High cholesterol | 29.8% | 27.3–32.4% | 31.5% | about the same |
| Obesity | 22.3% | 19.1–25.7% | 26.1% | better |
| Arthritis | 21.2% | 19.3–23.2% | 22.9% | about the same |
| Depression | 24.8% | 22.1–27.6% | 22.7% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 8.6% | 6.9–10.5% | 9.2% | about the same |
| Asthma | 11.6% | 10.3–12.8% | 10.9% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 7% | 6.4–7.7% | 7.8% | better |
| Diabetes | 7% | 6.1–8% | 8.6% | better |
| COPD | 4.8% | 4.2–5.3% | 5.3% | about the same |
| Heart disease | 4.4% | 4–4.9% | 5.1% | better |
| Stroke | 2.3% | 2.1–2.5% | 2.7% | better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.9% | 8.5–11.6% | 10.9% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 22% | 19.3–24.8% | 19% | worse |
| Get no exercise | 12.6% | 10.7–14.7% | 17.7% | better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30% | 26.5–33.7% | 30.7% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 70.3% | 67.2–73.3% | 71.4% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 66.2% | 63.3–69% | 64.6% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 82.2% | 80.1–84.1% | 85.2% | worse |
| Colon screening | 67.8% | 64.2–71.3% | 62.4% | better |
| Mammogram | 71.8% | 65.6–77.4% | 71.6% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 65.4% | 62.3–68.1% | 69.5% | worse |
| No health insurance | 8.2% | 6.9–9.5% | 11.1% | better |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Frequent mental distress | 16.8% | 14.9–18.7% | 16% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 13.2% | 11.6–15% | 15.5% | better |
| Frequent physical distress | 10.4% | 9.2–11.6% | 11.9% | better |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.3% | 22.4–28.2% | 27.1% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 8.3% | 7.2–9.4% | 10.4% | |
| Thinking or memory | 14.5% | 12.8–16.3% | 13.9% | |
| Hearing | 5.7% | 5.1–6.3% | 6.4% | |
| Vision | 3.6% | 3.3–4% | 4.2% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 2.5% | 2.3–2.8% | 2.9% | |
| Errands alone | 6.5% | 5.8–7.3% | 6.7% | |
How CDC estimates town health
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.