Photo: Greg Goebel · CC BY-SA 2.0Within Colorado, Air Force Academy is healthier than 37% of graded towns
Air Force Academy differs from Colorado on 19 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Air Force Academy. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Air Force Academy
Mental distress runs high in Air Force Academy
3 in 10 adults are in frequent mental distress (27.9%), vs 16% across Colorado. Depression is above the state too: 31.2%, vs 22.7% across Colorado. Mind & connection ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Air Force Academy
Air Force Academy runs below Colorado on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (1.4% vs 7.8%), heart disease (1.6% vs 5.1%) and arthritis (7.3% vs 22.9%). A young population is part of it: only 1% of residents are 65 or older (Colorado 16%). Conditions ↓
Colorado sets a high bar
Air Force Academy is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns, but only 37% of the 159 Colorado towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Dental care lags in Air Force Academy
48.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.6% across Colorado. Among those 65 and older, 12.6% have lost all their teeth (Colorado 9.2%). Checkups ↓
Air Force Academy is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Air Force Academy is healthier than 77%. Against the 10,483 towns with similar household incomes ($52K–$87K), it’s healthier than 93%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Colorado figure falls outside Air Force Academy’s likely range.
What’s behind Air Force Academy’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Air Force Academy is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns, #101 of 159 in Colorado. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Air Force Academy’s median household income is $69,474; among the 10,483 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($52K–$87K), it’s healthier than 93%, more than its income alone would suggest.
How Air Force Academy adults are doing
On 2 of 2 measures, Air Force Academy runs above Colorado.
A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Out of every 100 Air Force Academy adults…
Air Force Academy runs below CO on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 1% of Air Force Academy residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across Colorado. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Keeping up with care
Share of Air Force Academy adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
Care in and near Air Force Academy
No hospital or community health center in Air Force Academy itself. These are the nearest.
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 Air Force Academy; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Colorado
Share of adults, with the Colorado figure marked.
20 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Air Force Academy and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force Academy | A− | 25.4% | 2.8% | 10.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Air Force Academy adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Air Force Academy
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Air Force Academy is better than Colorado on 8 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside Air Force Academy’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Air Force Academy | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.6%16.3–21 | 15.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.4%10.1–12.9 | 11.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 27.9%25–30.9 | 16% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.4%22–29.2 | 26.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 2.8%2.5–3.3 | 8.6% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 14.5%12.8–16.4 | 27% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 16.6%14.8–18.6 | 31.5% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 7.3%6.4–8.2 | 22.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 12.4%11.1–13.9 | 10.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 1.4%1.3–1.6 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 1.6%1.4–1.8 | 5.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.2%2.8–3.7 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 0.9%0.8–1 | 2.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.6%10.2–15.4 | 9.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.3%8.7–12.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.3%16.5–22.5 | 17.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 21%18.2–23.9 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.2%34.3–42.1 | 30.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.1%10.3–14.4 | 11.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 63.7%60.1–67.3 | 71.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 48.6%45.6–51.6 | 64.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 59.9%56–63.8 | 85.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 26.5%23.9–29.2 | 69.5% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 53.2%48.9–57.3 | 62.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 65.1%58.2–71.6 | 71.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 31.2%28–34.6 | 22.7% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38%34–42 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 5.4%4.7–6.2 | 10.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 26.8%23.8–30 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 4%3.5–4.6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 4.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.8%10.5–13.4 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.3%2–2.6 | 2.9% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Colorado figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Air Force Academy
Is Air Force Academy a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Air Force Academy is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #101 of 159 in Colorado. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 93%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Air Force Academy?
CDC estimates 25.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 22% and 29.2%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Air Force Academy?
St. Francis Hospital - Interquest in Colorado Springs, 2.9 miles in a straight line from Air Force Academy’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Air Force Academy have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.3–14.4%), against 11.1% across Colorado.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Air Force Academy more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Air Force Academy.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Colorado figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.