Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0Within Colorado, Cortez is healthier than 20% of graded towns
Cortez differs from Colorado on 15 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cortez. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cortez
Colorado sets a high bar
Cortez is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, but only 20% of the 159 Colorado towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Cortez
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.7%), 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, Cortez runs above Colorado on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Cortez adults get no exercise
22.3% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 17.7% across Colorado. There are 12 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Cortez
59.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.6% across Colorado. Among those 65 and older, 13.3% have lost all their teeth (Colorado 9.2%). Checkups ↓
Cortez is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Cortez is healthier than 60%. Against the 7,198 towns with similar household incomes ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 91%. 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 Cortez’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Cortez’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cortez is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, #127 of 159 in Colorado. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 89% 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). Cortez’s median household income is $54,247; among the 7,198 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 90%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Cortez adults…
Cortez runs above CO on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Colorado
Share of adults, with the Colorado figure marked.
12 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Cortez adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
Care in and near Cortez
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Cortez, 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 Cortez; ≈ 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).
How Cortez 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.
Cortez and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cortez | B | 28.1% | 10.9% | 14.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cortez adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cortez
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cortez is better than Colorado on 2 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside Cortez’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cortez | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20%17.5–22.9 | 15.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13.1–16.7 | 11.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.5–19.5 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.1%21.6–35.6 | 26.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.9%9.4–12.6 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 31.4%27.7–35.6 | 27% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.2%29.2–37.6 | 31.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28%24.8–31.4 | 22.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.6–13.4 | 10.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.5–10.3 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.3–7.9 | 5.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.7%6.7–8.9 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.2 | 2.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.3%10.6–16 | 9.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.8%12.7–17.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 22.3%18.7–26.5 | 17.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.6%12.8–18.9 | 19% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.8%23.8–36.1 | 30.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.1%10.3–14.1 | 11.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.9%67.7–76 | 71.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.2%55.2–62.9 | 64.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.6%82.6–86.4 | 85.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.6%70.3–76.8 | 69.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.8%57.2–67.7 | 62.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.8%58.4–75.8 | 71.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24%20.5–27.8 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.9%30.8–39.5 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.8%12.9–17 | 10.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.3%14.5–18.3 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.8%7.8–9.9 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 4.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%8–10.1 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.6–4.5 | 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 Cortez
Is Cortez a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cortez is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #127 of 159 in Colorado. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 90%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Cortez?
CDC estimates 28.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.6% and 35.6%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cortez?
Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Cortez’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Cortez have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.3–14.1%), 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 Cortez 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 Cortez.
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.