Gunnison River Bridge I · Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Colorado, Gunnison is healthier than 42% of graded towns
Gunnison differs from Colorado on 11 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gunnison. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gunnison
Colorado sets a high bar
Gunnison is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns, but only 42% of the 159 Colorado towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Gunnison is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Gunnison’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Cancer and diabetes are less common in Gunnison
Gunnison runs below Colorado on seven chronic conditions, most of all cancer (5.6% vs 7.8%), diabetes (6.2% vs 8.6%) and arthritis (17.4% vs 22.9%). 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 Gunnison’s likely range.
What’s behind Gunnison’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gunnison is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns, #93 of 159 in Colorado. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Gunnison’s median household income is $62,189; among the 9,465 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 98%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Gunnison
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Gunnison, 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 Gunnison; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Gunnison adults…
Gunnison runs below CO on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Gunnison residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across Colorado. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Colorado
Share of adults, with the Colorado figure marked.
13 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Gunnison adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
How Gunnison adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Gunnison runs above 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.
Gunnison and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gunnison | A− | 24.7% | 6.2% | 11% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gunnison adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gunnison
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gunnison is better than Colorado on 7 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside Gunnison’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gunnison | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.7%12.4–17.3 | 15.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.1%9.6–12.7 | 11.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.8%17.2–22.6 | 16% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.7%18.3–31.5 | 26.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 6.2%5.3–7.2 | 8.6% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 21%17.9–24.1 | 27% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 25.5%22.1–29 | 31.5% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 17.4%15.1–19.7 | 22.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.1–13 | 10.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.6%5–6.1 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4%3.5–4.4 | 5.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4–5.5 | 5.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.1%1.9–2.3 | 2.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.2%8.9–13.8 | 9.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11%8.9–13.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 16.4%13.1–20.1 | 17.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 21.3%17.6–25.3 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.9%22.8–35.3 | 30.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.1%8.4–12.3 | 11.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 66.5%61.5–71.2 | 71.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.4%60.6–67.9 | 64.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 76.7%73.4–79.9 | 85.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 61.8%58.4–64.9 | 69.5% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.3%55.9–66.3 | 62.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.2%62.2–78.8 | 71.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.9%22–30 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.1%23.7–32.9 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.3%7–9.6 | 10.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.4%14.8–20.1 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.7–6.1 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.8–4.8 | 4.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.9%6.8–9.2 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.3–3 | 2.9% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Gunnison
Is Gunnison a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gunnison is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #93 of 159 in Colorado. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 98%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gunnison?
CDC estimates 24.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 18.3% and 31.5%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gunnison?
Gunnison Valley Hospital in Gunnison, 0.2 miles in a straight line from Gunnison’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Gunnison have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.4–12.3%), 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 Gunnison more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Gunnison.
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.