Photo: Cobun Keegan · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Paonia is healthier than 91%
Paonia differs from Colorado on 13 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Paonia. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Paonia
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Paonia
1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.9%), vs 5.3% across Colorado. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.3%), vs 5.1% across Colorado. Stroke is also above the state: 4.3%, vs 2.7% across Colorado. In all, Paonia runs above Colorado on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Colorado 16%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Paonia, and more people treating it
37% of adults have high blood pressure (Colorado 27%), but 76.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 69.5% statewide. Checkups ↓
In Paonia, insurance isn’t the gap
Only 8.8% of working-age adults are uninsured (Colorado 11.1%), yet 19.3% say their health is fair or poor, vs 15.5% across the state. Checkups ↓
The nearest ER is 26 miles from Paonia
The closest emergency room is Delta County Memorial Hospital in Delta, 26.1 miles away in a straight line. Getting care ↓
Paonia is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Paonia is healthier than 67%. Against the 8,792 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$74K), it’s healthier than 91%. 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 Paonia’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Paonia’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Paonia is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 92% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 35%).
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). Paonia’s median household income is $59,574; among the 8,792 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$74K), it’s healthier than 91%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Paonia adults…
Paonia runs above CO on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Paonia is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across Colorado. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Paonia as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Paonia adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
Care in and near Paonia
No hospital or community health center in Paonia 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 Paonia; ≈ 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.
How Paonia 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.
Paonia and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paonia | B+ | 26.6% | 11.7% | 13.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Paonia adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Paonia
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Paonia is better than Colorado on 3 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside Paonia’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Paonia | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.3%15.8–23.1 | 15.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%12.8–17.6 | 11.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%13.8–18.4 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.6%20.3–33.7 | 26.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.7%9.9–13.6 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37%32.7–41.5 | 27% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38%33.5–42.6 | 31.5% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 34.1%30.3–38 | 22.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.4–13.4 | 10.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.7%10.5–13 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.3%7.2–9.6 | 5.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.9%7–10.9 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.6–5 | 2.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.2%7.9–12.5 | 9.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.7%10.5–17 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.4%16–25 | 17.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15%12.1–18.1 | 19% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.3%25.1–38 | 30.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.8%6.5–11.3 | 11.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.9%70.9–78.7 | 71.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.8%59.8–67.5 | 64.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.8%85.6–89.6 | 85.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.6%73.1–79.8 | 69.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67%61.2–71.9 | 62.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.5%59.2–76.8 | 71.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.6%20.9–28.7 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.9%27.9–38 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.4%12.6–18.4 | 10.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.5%12.2–17 | 13.9% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.6%8.3–11 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.4–6.2 | 4.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%7.2–10.2 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.5–5.1 | 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 Paonia
Is Paonia a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Paonia is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Paonia?
CDC estimates 26.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.3% and 33.7%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Paonia?
Delta County Memorial Hospital in Delta, 26.1 miles in a straight line from Paonia’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Paonia have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–11.3%), 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 Paonia more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Paonia.
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.