Photo: Lee Coursey · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Boulder as a whole is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
Boulder differs from Colorado on 20 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Boulder. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Boulder
Colorado sets a high bar
Boulder is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, but only 60% of the 159 Colorado towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Obesity and diabetes are less common in Boulder
Boulder runs below Colorado on nine chronic conditions, most of all obesity (16.5% vs 26.1%), diabetes (5.7% vs 8.6%) and high blood pressure (18.6% vs 27%). Conditions ↓
Boulder is an active town
Only 12.3% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 17.7% across Colorado. The town has 90 miles of trails across 54 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Boulder has a top-rated hospital
Boulder Community Health is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. 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 Boulder’s likely range.
What’s behind Boulder’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Boulder is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #64 of 159 in Colorado. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 35%).
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). Boulder’s median household income is $87,493; among the 10,206 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($66K–$109K), it’s healthier than 98%, about where its income would put it.
Most Colorado towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Boulder is healthier than 60% of graded towns, against 92% nationally.
At 105,689 residents, Boulder is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Out of every 100 Boulder adults…
Boulder runs below CO on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Boulder residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across Colorado. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Colorado
Share of adults, with the Colorado figure marked.
90 miles of trails across 54 parks and preserves
Care in and near Boulder
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Boulder, 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 Boulder; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Boulder adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
How Boulder adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Boulder 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.
Boulder and the towns around it
Boulder’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder | A | 16.5% | 5.7% | 9% | CDC place |
| Gunbarrel | A+ | 16.3% | 6.8% | 7.6% | CDC place |
| Pine Brook Hill | — | — | — | — | |
| Niwot | A+ | 16.6% | 7.6% | 8.1% | CDC place |
| Valmont | — | — | — | — |
Pine Brook Hill and Valmont: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Boulder adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Boulder
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Boulder is better than Colorado on 16 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside Boulder’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Boulder | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.2%11.7–14.9 | 15.5% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.2%9.1–11.4 | 11.9% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%16.2–19.8 | 16% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 16.5%13.7–19.6 | 26.1% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 5.7%4.9–6.4 | 8.6% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 18.6%16.6–20.7 | 27% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 26.2%23.8–28.8 | 31.5% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 16.7%15–18.5 | 22.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.6–11.9 | 10.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.5%5.9–7.1 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 5.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.3%3.9–4.8 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2%1.9–2.2 | 2.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.3%5.9–8.9 | 9.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9%7.8–10.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 12.3%10.4–14.4 | 17.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.8%17.2–22.6 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 24.4%21–28 | 30.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%7.5–9.9 | 11.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 66.2%62.9–69.6 | 71.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.3%64.3–70.1 | 64.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.8%76.6–80.8 | 85.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 62.4%59.4–65.3 | 69.5% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66%61.9–69.8 | 62.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.9%67.4–79.5 | 71.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.5%22.7–28.5 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.1%21.4–26.9 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 7.2%6.3–8.1 | 10.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.6%14.1–17.3 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.7–5.8 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.7–4.4 | 4.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.5–8.1 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2.2–2.6 | 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 Boulder
Is Boulder a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Boulder is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #64 of 159 in Colorado. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 98%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Boulder?
CDC estimates 16.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 13.7% and 19.6%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Boulder?
Boulder Community Health in Boulder, 2.6 miles in a straight line from Boulder’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Boulder have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.5–9.9%), 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 Boulder 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 Boulder.
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.