Lincoln School · Photo: Hustvedt · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Erie is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Erie beats Colorado on 16 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Erie. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Erie
Erie is an active town
Only 11.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 17.7% across Colorado. The town has 20 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Erie keeps up with checkups
It beats Colorado on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (72.6% vs 64.6%) and cholesterol checks (88.2% vs 85.2%). Checkups ↓
COPD and heart disease are less common in Erie
Erie runs below Colorado on five chronic conditions, most of all COPD (3.6% vs 5.3%), heart disease (3.7% vs 5.1%) and stroke (2% vs 2.7%). A young population is part of it: only 10% of residents are 65 or older (Colorado 16%). Conditions ↓
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 Erie’s likely range.
What’s behind Erie’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Erie is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #18 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 89%.
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). Erie’s median household income is $173,349; among the 1,579 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($130K–$217K), it’s healthier than 91%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Colorado
Share of adults, with the Colorado figure marked.
20 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Erie adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
Out of every 100 Erie adults…
Erie runs below CO on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Erie residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across Colorado. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Erie
No hospital or community health center in Erie 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 Erie; ≈ 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 Erie adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Erie does better than 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.
Erie and the towns around it
Erie has the best Health Grade of the 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie | A+ | 24% | 6.6% | 8.4% | CDC place |
| Frederick | A | 31.8% | 7.8% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| Lafayette | A+ | 17.4% | 7.1% | 8.9% | CDC place |
| Broomfield | A+ | 22.5% | 6.9% | 8.9% | CDC place |
| Dacono | B+ | 33.6% | 9.1% | 12.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Erie adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Erie
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Erie is better than Colorado on 16 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside Erie’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Erie | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 10.2%9.1–11.5 | 15.5% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.4%8.5–10.4 | 11.9% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.9–15.5 | 16% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24%21.1–27.1 | 26.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 6.6%5.9–7.4 | 8.6% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 22.5%20.5–24.6 | 27% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 29.8%27.5–32.3 | 31.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 19.5%17.9–21.3 | 22.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.2%9.4–11.2 | 10.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.7%7.1–8.2 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.7%3.4–4.1 | 5.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.6%3.2–4.1 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2%1.8–2.2 | 2.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5.5%4.6–6.5 | 9.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.4%7.1–9.7 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 11.7%10.2–13.4 | 17.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 20.1%17.9–22.5 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.4%25.6–31.3 | 30.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.9%5.1–6.9 | 11.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.8%67–72.6 | 71.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.6%70.4–74.5 | 64.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.2%87–89.4 | 85.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 66.6%63.6–69.6 | 69.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.3%60.2–66.2 | 62.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.2%71.7–80.2 | 71.6% | 76.4% | Better |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.9%19.8–24.2 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 19.7%17.7–21.8 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 6.8%6–7.7 | 10.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.6%9.5–11.8 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.6%4.2–5.1 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.6%2.4–2.9 | 4.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2%1.8–2.2 | 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 Erie
Is Erie a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Erie is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #18 of 159 in Colorado. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 91%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Erie?
CDC estimates 24% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.1% and 27.1%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Erie?
Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette, 5.4 miles in a straight line from Erie’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Erie have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–6.9%), 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 Erie more than anything measured there. Even at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade stays A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Erie.
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.