Bradford House II · Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Dakota Ridge is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns
Dakota Ridge beats Colorado on 7 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Dakota Ridge. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Dakota Ridge
Dakota Ridge is an active town
Only 12.4% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 17.7% across Colorado. The town has 24 miles of trails across 23 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Dakota Ridge keeps up with checkups
It beats Colorado on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (69.6% vs 64.6%) and cholesterol checks (87.7% vs 85.2%). Checkups ↓
Nearly everyone in Dakota Ridge is insured
Only 7.4% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 11.1% across Colorado. 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 Dakota Ridge’s likely range.
What’s behind Dakota Ridge’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dakota Ridge is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns, #41 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 almost every town); 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). Dakota Ridge’s median household income is $120,822; among the 5,642 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($91K–$151K), it’s healthier than 95%, about where its income would put it.
Most Colorado towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Dakota Ridge is healthier than 74% of graded towns, against 96% nationally.
Everyday habits, side by side with Colorado
Share of adults, with the Colorado figure marked.
24 miles of trails across 23 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Dakota Ridge adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
Out of every 100 Dakota Ridge adults…
Dakota Ridge runs below CO on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Dakota Ridge
No hospital or community health center in Dakota Ridge 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 Dakota Ridge; ≈ 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 Dakota Ridge 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.
Dakota Ridge and the towns around it
Dakota Ridge’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota Ridge | A+ | 22.9% | 7.9% | 9.9% | CDC place |
| Ken Caryl | A+ | 22.8% | 7.8% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Lakewood | A | 23.8% | 8.7% | 10.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Dakota Ridge adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Dakota Ridge
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Dakota Ridge is better than Colorado on 7 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside Dakota Ridge’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Dakota Ridge | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.5%11–14.2 | 15.5% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.7%9.5–11.9 | 11.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.4–16.7 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 22.9%19.6–26.4 | 26.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.9%6.9–8.9 | 8.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 26.7%24.1–29.3 | 27% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.1%30.2–36.1 | 31.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.5%22.3–26.8 | 22.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.3–12.8 | 10.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.5–9 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 5.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.8%4.2–5.3 | 5.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.3–2.7 | 2.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.3%5–7.8 | 9.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.9%8.6–11.4 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 12.4%10.5–14.5 | 17.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 20.6%18.1–23.3 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.1%26.6–33.7 | 30.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%6.4–8.5 | 11.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.1%70.2–75.9 | 71.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.6%66.8–72.3 | 64.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.7%86.2–89.1 | 85.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.6%65.3–71.8 | 69.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.9%65.2–72.4 | 62.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.1%68.3–79.5 | 71.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.5%20.9–26.3 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.5%20.9–26.2 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.7%7.6–9.8 | 10.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.3%11–13.8 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.7%5.1–6.4 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 4.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.6%5–6.2 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2.2–2.7 | 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 Dakota Ridge
Is Dakota Ridge a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dakota Ridge is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #41 of 159 in Colorado. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 95%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Dakota Ridge?
CDC estimates 22.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 19.6% and 26.4%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Dakota Ridge?
Centura Health-St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, 6.8 miles in a straight line from Dakota Ridge’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Dakota Ridge have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.4–8.5%), 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 Dakota Ridge 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 Dakota Ridge.
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.