Wheat Ridge, CO health
Wheat Ridge differs from Colorado on 6 of 33 measures. It has more adults screened for colon cancer (67.9% vs 62.4%) and more adults getting cholesterol checked (86.8% vs 85.2%). Where it trails the state: more adults with arthritis (26.8% vs 22.9%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Wheat RidgeWheat Ridge’s Health Grade: A
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Wheat Ridge is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns and 59% of Colorado towns.
About what its income would suggest. Wheat Ridge 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 Wheat Ridge 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. Wheat Ridge 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 Wheat Ridge 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 Wheat Ridge adults…
Bars show Wheat Ridge; 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 Wheat Ridge adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
How Wheat Ridge adults are doing
Living with a disability
of Wheat Ridge adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Black tick: Colorado. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Wheat Ridge 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 Wheat Ridge.
Obesity
Care in and near Wheat Ridge
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Wheat Ridge, plus the nearest outside it. Nearest first.
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 Wheat Ridge. 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 Wheat Ridge
| Measure | Wheat Ridge | Margin | Colorado | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 29.7% | 27–32.5% | 27% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 34.3% | 31.4–37.3% | 31.5% | about the same |
| Obesity | 24.3% | 20.9–28% | 26.1% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 26.8% | 24.4–29.2% | 22.9% | worse |
| Depression | 23.2% | 20.6–26% | 22.7% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 10.6% | 8.6–12.9% | 9.2% | about the same |
| Asthma | 11.5% | 10.3–12.8% | 10.9% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 8.9% | 8.1–9.7% | 7.8% | worse |
| Diabetes | 9.4% | 8.3–10.8% | 8.6% | about the same |
| COPD | 5.7% | 5.1–6.5% | 5.3% | about the same |
| Heart disease | 5.8% | 5.2–6.5% | 5.1% | worse |
| Stroke | 3% | 2.8–3.3% | 2.7% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11% | 9.5–12.6% | 10.9% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 18.9% | 16.6–21.3% | 19% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 15.5% | 13.2–18.1% | 17.7% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.8% | 27.3–34.5% | 30.7% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 73.5% | 70.6–76.2% | 71.4% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 64.3% | 61.3–67.2% | 64.6% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 86.8% | 85.3–88.2% | 85.2% | better |
| Colon screening | 67.9% | 64.1–71.4% | 62.4% | better |
| Mammogram | 72.4% | 66.2–77.9% | 71.6% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 71% | 67.9–73.9% | 69.5% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 10.2% | 9–11.7% | 11.1% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Frequent mental distress | 15.4% | 13.7–17.1% | 16% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 15.5% | 13.7–17.5% | 15.5% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 12.1% | 10.8–13.5% | 11.9% | about the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.8% | 24.9–30.9% | 27.1% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 11.2% | 9.9–12.7% | 10.4% | |
| Thinking or memory | 13.7% | 12.2–15.2% | 13.9% | |
| Hearing | 7.2% | 6.5–8.1% | 6.4% | |
| Vision | 4.4% | 4–4.8% | 4.2% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 3.1% | 2.8–3.4% | 2.9% | |
| Errands alone | 6.8% | 6.1–7.6% | 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.