Health · Boulder

Boulder, MT health

On every measure CDC estimates, Boulder looks like Montana as a whole: no difference is outside the margin of error.

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

B+Health Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

B⁺

Boulder’s Health Grade: B+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Boulder is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns and 55% of Montana towns.

BSelf-rated healthB-Physical distressBMental distressB+ObesityB+DiabetesBSmokingB+Exercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 67%

Less healthyHealthier

Montana towns we grade (93)Healthier than 55%

Towns with similar incomes, $54K–$91K (9,792)Healthier than 81%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Boulder could be anywhere from C 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 Montana 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 Boulder 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. Boulder 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 Boulder compares with Montana

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 Boulder adults…

33 of every 100 Boulder adults have high blood pressure

Montana: 32 in 100 · too close to call · margin 29.3–37.4%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Boulder, betterBoulder, worseToo close to callMontana

Get no exerciseshare of adults 22.3% Boulder
MT 20.6%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 31.4% Boulder
MT 31.4%

Binge drinkshare of adults 19.5% Boulder
MT 20.3%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 13.7% Boulder
MT 13.6%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

Yearly checkup

MT 72%

Dentist visit

MT 63%

Cholesterol check

MT 83%

Colon screening

MT 64%

Mammogram

MT 75%

Taking BP meds

MT 73%

1 in 11

working-age adults has no health insurance

Boulder 8.8% · Montana 1 in 11 (9.3%)

Mind & connection

How Boulder adults are doing

1 in 4Boulder adults feel lonely

27.6% · Montana 30.7% · too close to call

1 in 4Boulder adults have been diagnosed with depression

23.4% · Montana 24.9% · too close to call

1 in 5Boulder adults lack social or emotional support

21.5% · Montana 21.2% · too close to call

1 in 6Boulder adults are in frequent mental distress

16.3% · Montana 17.2% · too close to call

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 10

Boulder adults worry about having enough food

10.5% · MT 11.7% · about the same

1 in 12

Boulder adults worry about keeping their housing

8.3% · MT 9.1% · about the same

1 in 17

Boulder adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

6% · MT 6.5% · about the same

1 in 15

Boulder adults lack reliable transportation

6.7% · MT 7.5% · about the same

7.2% of Boulder adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.3% across Montana.

Disability

Living with a disability

30.1%

of Boulder adults live with a disability (Montana 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs13.4%

Thinking or memory13.8%

Hearing8.7%

Errands alone7.7%

Vision4.4%

Dressing or bathing3.5%

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

Around Boulder

Boulder and the towns around it

Care nearby

St. Peters HealthHelena · 24.8 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

St. James HospitalButte · 25.8 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

VA Montana Healthcare SystemFort Harrison · 26.5 mi · ★★★★★ · ER · VA Directions Medicare profile

Billings Clinic BroadwaterTownsend · 29.4 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Butte Rescue MissionButte · 25.1 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Blacktail Pharmacy - ButteButte · 25.9 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary careBoulder's county is a federal shortage area.Jefferson County · need score 15 of 25

! Dental careBoulder's county is a federal shortage area.Jefferson County · need score 12 of 25

! Mental healthBoulder's county is a federal shortage area.Jefferson County · need score 18 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 Boulder. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Boulder

Measure	Boulder	Margin	Montana
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	33.4%	29.3–37.4%	31.9%	about the same
High cholesterol	33.6%	29.5–37.8%	32.8%	about the same
Obesity	33.3%	26.6–39.9%	31.4%	about the same
Arthritis	30.5%	27–33.9%	28.4%	about the same
Depression	23.4%	19.9–26.9%	24.9%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	11.5%	9.3–13.9%	12.3%	about the same
Asthma	11.3%	9.9–12.7%	11.1%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	10.2%	9.2–11.3%	9.3%	about the same
Diabetes	10.5%	8.8–12.2%	9.9%	about the same
COPD	7.3%	5.9–8.8%	7%	about the same
Heart disease	6.8%	5.9–7.8%	6.6%	about the same
Stroke	3.6%	3.1–4.1%	3.5%	about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	13.7%	10.6–16.7%	13.6%	about the same
Binge drink	19.5%	16.2–22.9%	20.3%	about the same
Get no exercise	22.3%	17.6–26.8%	20.6%	about the same
Sleep under 7 hours	31.4%	25.9–37.4%	31.4%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	72.3%	68.4–76.3%	72.4%	about the same
Dentist visit	63.6%	60.2–67.2%	63.3%	about the same
Cholesterol check	84.2%	81.9–86.4%	82.5%	about the same
Colon screening	66.5%	61.9–71%	63.8%	about the same
Mammogram	75.5%	68.2–81.8%	74.8%	about the same
Taking BP meds	74.9%	71.4–78.1%	73.4%	about the same
No health insurance	8.8%	6.8–11.6%	9.3%	about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	27.6%	23.3–32.4%	30.7%	about the same
Lack emotional support	21.5%	18–25.3%	21.2%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	16.3%	14–18.6%	17.2%	about the same
Fair or poor health	18.1%	14.8–21.5%	18.3%	about the same
Frequent physical distress	14.1%	12.1–16.3%	14%	about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	10.5%	8.1–13.1%	11.7%	about the same
Housing insecurity	8.3%	6.7–10.2%	9.1%	about the same
Utility shut-off threat	6%	4.9–7.1%	6.5%	about the same
No reliable transportation	6.7%	5.6–7.9%	7.5%	about the same
Receive SNAP	7.2%	5.4–9.2%	8.3%
Disability
Any disability	30.1%	25.4–34.8%	30.9%
Walking or climbing stairs	13.4%	11–15.9%	12.9%
Thinking or memory	13.8%	11.5–16%	14.3%
Hearing	8.7%	7.5–9.8%	8.6%
Vision	4.4%	3.7–5.1%	4.6%
Dressing or bathing	3.5%	2.9–4.1%	3.5%
Errands alone	7.7%	6.4–9.1%	8%

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 Boulder door to door.

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

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Boulder directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Montana 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.