Photo: Elisa.rolle · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Colorado, Buena Vista is healthier than 22% of graded towns
Buena Vista differs from Colorado on 13 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Buena Vista. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Buena Vista
Colorado sets a high bar
Buena Vista is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns, but only 22% of the 159 Colorado towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Buena Vista
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.3%), vs 5.3% across Colorado. 1 in 26 adults have had a stroke (3.8%), vs 2.7% across Colorado. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.1%, vs 5.1% across Colorado. In all, Buena Vista runs above Colorado on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Buena Vista
57.9% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.6% across Colorado. Among those 65 and older, 15.6% have lost all their teeth (Colorado 9.2%). Checkups ↓
In Buena Vista, insurance isn’t the gap
Only 10.9% of working-age adults are uninsured (Colorado 11.1%), yet 19.6% say their health is fair or poor, vs 15.5% across the state. Checkups ↓
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 Buena Vista’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Buena Vista’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buena Vista is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns, #124 of 159 in Colorado. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 92% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 39%).
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). Buena Vista’s median household income is $78,323; among the 10,833 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$98K), it’s healthier than 70%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Buena Vista adults…
Buena Vista runs above CO on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 5% of Buena Vista residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across Colorado. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Keeping up with care
Share of Buena Vista adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
Care in and near Buena Vista
1 community health center in Buena Vista, 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 Buena Vista; ≈ 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.
3.3 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
How Buena Vista 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.
Buena Vista and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buena Vista | B | 26.9% | 10.4% | 15.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Buena Vista adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Buena Vista
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Buena Vista is better than Colorado on 1 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside Buena Vista’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Buena Vista | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.6%16.6–23.2 | 15.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%12.8–17 | 11.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15.3–19.9 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.9%20.5–34.2 | 26.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.4%8.8–12.2 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 31.7%27.7–35.9 | 27% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.6%30.5–39.1 | 31.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29%25.6–32.6 | 22.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.4–13.4 | 10.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.6–10.6 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.3–8.1 | 5.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.3%7–9.9 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.4–4.3 | 2.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.6%12.9–18.6 | 9.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.5%12.7–18.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 20.7%16.7–25.2 | 17.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%13.3–19.4 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.7%25.7–38.2 | 30.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.9%8.6–13.3 | 11.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.1%67.8–75.9 | 71.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.9%54.2–61.5 | 64.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.9%82.6–86.8 | 85.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.4%69.8–76.6 | 69.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.6%58.4–68.5 | 62.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 66.9%57.7–75.2 | 71.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%20.6–28.1 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.8%27.3–36.7 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%12–16.8 | 10.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.3%14–18.8 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.3%7.3–9.4 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.8–6.2 | 4.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%7.7–10.5 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.6–4.8 | 2.9% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Buena Vista
Is Buena Vista a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buena Vista is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #124 of 159 in Colorado. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 70%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Buena Vista?
CDC estimates 26.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.5% and 34.2%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Buena Vista?
St. Vincent General Hospital District in Leadville, 29.9 miles in a straight line from Buena Vista’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Buena Vista have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.6–13.3%), 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 Buena Vista more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Buena Vista.
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.