Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0Within Colorado, Palmer Lake is healthier than 54% of graded towns
Palmer Lake differs from Colorado on 9 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Palmer Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Palmer Lake
Colorado sets a high bar
Palmer Lake is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, but only 54% of the 159 Colorado towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Palmer Lake keeps up with checkups
It beats Colorado on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (76.2% vs 71.4%) and cholesterol checks (88.4% vs 85.2%). Checkups ↓
Cancer and high cholesterol run high in Palmer Lake
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.4%), vs 7.8% across Colorado. 36.3% of adults have high cholesterol, vs 31.5% across Colorado. Conditions ↓
Nearly everyone in Palmer Lake is insured
Only 6.7% 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 Palmer Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Palmer Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palmer Lake is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, #74 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 96% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 68%.
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). Palmer Lake’s median household income is $125,357; among the 5,021 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($94K–$157K), it’s healthier than 76%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Palmer Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
Out of every 100 Palmer Lake adults…
Palmer Lake runs below CO on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Palmer Lake
No hospital or community health center in Palmer Lake 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 Palmer Lake; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Colorado
Share of adults, with the Colorado figure marked.
5.8 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
How Palmer Lake 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.
Palmer Lake and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmer Lake | A | 26.8% | 8.6% | 9.9% | CDC place |
| Monument | A | 26.4% | 7.7% | 9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Palmer Lake adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Palmer Lake
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Palmer Lake is better than Colorado on 6 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside Palmer Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Palmer Lake | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.1%11.9–16.6 | 15.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.5%10.9–14.3 | 11.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14–18 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.8%23.3–30.6 | 26.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.6%7.4–9.8 | 8.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 29.5%26.8–32.3 | 27% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.3%33.2–39.4 | 31.5% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 26.1%23.7–28.6 | 22.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.3–12.9 | 10.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.5–10.4 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.4–5.8 | 5.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.3%4.4–6.4 | 5.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.4–3.1 | 2.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5%4–6.3 | 9.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.9%7.8–12.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 16.3%13.7–19.3 | 17.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.6%14.4–18.9 | 19% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.5%29.7–37.2 | 30.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.7%5.4–8.3 | 11.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.2%73.3–78.8 | 71.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.2%64.3–69.9 | 64.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.4%86.7–89.9 | 85.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.8%67.4–73.9 | 69.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.7%66.1–73.2 | 62.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.8%61.2–73.9 | 71.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.1%22.3–27.8 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.6%24.2–31.1 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.8%9.1–12.8 | 10.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.6%10.8–14.5 | 13.9% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.7–7.3 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.3%2.8–3.8 | 4.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.9%5–6.9 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.2–3.1 | 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 Palmer Lake
Is Palmer Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palmer Lake is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns: A for health, #74 of 159 in Colorado. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 76%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Palmer Lake?
CDC estimates 26.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.3% and 30.6%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Palmer Lake?
St. Francis Hospital - Interquest in Colorado Springs, 6.7 miles in a straight line from Palmer Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Palmer Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.4–8.3%), 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 Palmer Lake 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 Palmer Lake.
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.