Photo: Adam Paetow · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Colorado, Penrose is healthier than 30% of graded towns
Penrose differs from Colorado on 14 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Penrose. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Penrose
Colorado sets a high bar
Penrose is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns, but only 30% of the 159 Colorado towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Penrose
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.7%), vs 5.3% across Colorado. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7.4%), vs 5.1% across Colorado. Stroke is also above the state: 3.8%, vs 2.7% across Colorado. In all, Penrose runs above Colorado on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Penrose, and more people treating it
32.7% of adults have high blood pressure (Colorado 27%), but 76.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 69.5% statewide. 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 Penrose’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Penrose’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Penrose is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, #112 of 159 in Colorado. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 87% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 43%).
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). Penrose’s median household income is $88,109; among the 10,155 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($66K–$110K), it’s healthier than 71%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Penrose adults…
Penrose runs above CO on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Penrose adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
Care in and near Penrose
No hospital or community health center in Penrose 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 Penrose; ≈ 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.
8.4 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Penrose 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.
Penrose and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penrose | B+ | 29% | 11.2% | 13.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Penrose adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Penrose
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Penrose is better than Colorado on 4 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside Penrose’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Penrose | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18%15.1–21.1 | 15.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%12.6–16.7 | 11.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%13.9–18.3 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29%22.9–35.7 | 26.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.2%9.5–12.9 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 32.7%28.7–36.6 | 27% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.4%32.1–40.6 | 31.5% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.5%27.9–35 | 22.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.1–12.9 | 10.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.6–11.8 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.4–8.5 | 5.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.7%6.3–9.2 | 5.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.3–4.3 | 2.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.4%9.8–15 | 9.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%10.5–16 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.1%16.1–24.3 | 17.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13–18.9 | 19% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.2%26.4–38.3 | 30.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%6.9–10.6 | 11.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.9%71.1–78.5 | 71.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.3%60.6–67.7 | 64.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.7%85.9–89.5 | 85.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.7%73.2–79.9 | 69.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.5%59.2–69.5 | 62.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71%62.9–78.2 | 71.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%20.7–27.8 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.1%26.4–35.7 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.1%11.7–16.6 | 10.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.1%12.1–16.3 | 13.9% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.3–9.5 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4–5.4 | 4.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.5–8.9 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.1–4.3 | 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 Penrose
Is Penrose a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Penrose is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #112 of 159 in Colorado. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 71%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Penrose?
CDC estimates 29% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.9% and 35.7%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Penrose?
St. Thomas More Hospital in Canon City, 12.6 miles in a straight line from Penrose’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Penrose have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.9–10.6%), 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 Penrose 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 Penrose.
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.