Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Basalt is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns
Basalt beats Colorado on 5 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Basalt. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Basalt
Basalt is an active town
Only 14.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 17.7% across Colorado. Habits ↓
Basalt has a community health center but no hospital
Mountain Family Health Centers is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Aspen Valley Hospital District in Aspen, 16.7 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Basalt’s likely range.
What’s behind Basalt’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Basalt is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns, #46 of 159 in Colorado. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 98% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 81%.
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). Basalt’s median household income is $105,855; among the 7,755 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($79K–$132K), it’s healthier than 97%, about where its income would put it.
Most Colorado towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Basalt is healthier than 72% of graded towns, against 96% nationally.
Everyday habits, side by side with Colorado
Share of adults, with the Colorado figure marked.
3.9 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Basalt
1 community health center in Basalt, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Basalt; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Basalt adults…
Basalt runs below CO on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Basalt adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
How Basalt adults are doing
About the same as Colorado on each measure.
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.
Basalt and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Basalt adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Basalt
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Basalt is better than Colorado on 5 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside Basalt’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Basalt | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.1%11.2–15.2 | 15.5% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11%9.7–12.5 | 11.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.3–16.8 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 22.8%18.1–27.8 | 26.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.7%6.6–8.8 | 8.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 24.8%21.8–27.8 | 27% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.4%28.1–34.7 | 31.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23%20.4–25.6 | 22.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.7–12 | 10.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.4%7.7–9.2 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.8%4.3–5.4 | 5.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.9%4.2–5.7 | 5.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.3–2.8 | 2.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7%5.8–8.4 | 9.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.9%8.1–11.8 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 14.5%11.9–17.4 | 17.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.6%16.9–22.5 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.5%24.1–33.4 | 30.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%7.1–10.3 | 11.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.8%68.6–75.1 | 71.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.8%63.1–68.8 | 64.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.2%85.5–88.7 | 85.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.7%66.3–72.8 | 69.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.9%60.8–69 | 62.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.9%68.5–80.6 | 71.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.8%18.9–24.8 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24%20.7–27.4 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.1%7.7–10.6 | 10.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.4%10.8–14 | 13.9% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.8%5.1–6.5 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.4%3–3.9 | 4.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.8%5–6.7 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.3–2.9 | 2.9% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Basalt
Is Basalt a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Basalt is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #46 of 159 in Colorado. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 97%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Basalt?
CDC estimates 22.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 18.1% and 27.8%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Basalt?
Aspen Valley Hospital District in Aspen, 16.7 miles in a straight line from Basalt’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Basalt have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–10.3%), 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 Basalt more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Basalt.
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.