Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Florence is healthier than 82%
Florence differs from Colorado on 16 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 14 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Florence. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Florence
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Florence
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.1%), vs 5.3% across Colorado. 1 in 23 adults have had a stroke (4.4%), vs 2.7% across Colorado. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.3%, vs 5.1% across Colorado. In all, Florence runs above Colorado on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Florence adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (24%), vs 17.7% across Colorado. Habits ↓
Smoking is more common in Florence
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (15.6%), vs 10.9% across Colorado. Habits ↓
Florence is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Florence is healthier than 44%. Against the 5,876 towns with similar household incomes ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 82%. 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 Florence’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Florence’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Florence is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns, #144 of 159 in Colorado. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 82% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 16%).
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). Florence’s median household income is $50,262; among the 5,876 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 82%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Colorado towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Florence is healthier than 9% of graded towns, against 44% nationally.
Out of every 100 Florence adults…
Florence runs above CO on 9 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Care in and near Florence
No hospital or community health center in Florence 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 Florence; ≈ 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 Florence adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
How Florence 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.
Florence and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florence | C+ | 30.4% | 12.3% | 15.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Florence adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Florence
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Florence is better than Colorado on 2 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside Florence’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Florence | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.1%18.8–25.4 | 15.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.4–18.8 | 11.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%15.8–20 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.4%24–37.2 | 26.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.3%10.5–14.1 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 33.6%29.8–37.7 | 27% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36%31.9–40.3 | 31.5% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 32%28.6–35.6 | 22.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.1%10.7–13.6 | 10.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.1%9.1–11.1 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.3%7.3–9.4 | 5.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.1%7.6–10.6 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 2.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.1%9.6–14.7 | 9.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.6%12.9–18.3 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 24%19.8–28.5 | 17.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.3%12.6–18.3 | 19% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.9%28–40 | 30.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12%9.8–14.4 | 11.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.5%69.7–77.3 | 71.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.3%54.5–62 | 64.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.3%83.4–87.3 | 85.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.1%72.7–79.2 | 69.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64%58.6–69 | 62.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.3%63.1–78.5 | 71.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.2%21.7–28.9 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.1%31.5–40.7 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17%14.5–19.6 | 10.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.1%14.8–19.4 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.6%8.5–10.8 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.2%5.4–7 | 4.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.7%8.4–11.1 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%4.1–5.3 | 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 Florence
Is Florence a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Florence is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #144 of 159 in Colorado. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Florence?
CDC estimates 30.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 24% and 37.2%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Florence?
St. Thomas More Hospital in Canon City, 8.8 miles in a straight line from Florence’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Florence have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.8–14.4%), 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 Florence more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Florence.
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.