Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0Within Colorado, Rifle is healthier than 33% of graded towns
Rifle differs from Colorado on 6 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Rifle. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Rifle
Colorado sets a high bar
Rifle is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns, but only 33% of the 159 Colorado towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
1 in 6 working-age adults in Rifle has no health insurance
17.4% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 11.1% across Colorado. Checkups ↓
The nearest ER is 24 miles from Rifle
The closest emergency room is Grand River Hospital District, 23.5 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Mountain Family Health Centers is closer (0.8 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Smoking is more common in Rifle
1 in 8 adults smoke cigarettes (13.3%), vs 10.9% across Colorado. Habits ↓
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 Rifle’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Rifle’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rifle is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns, #107 of 159 in Colorado. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 96% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 32%).
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). Rifle’s median household income is $80,000; among the 10,759 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($60K–$100K), it’s healthier than 84%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Rifle adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
Care in and near Rifle
1 community health center in Rifle, 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 Rifle; ≈ 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.
6.8 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Rifle adults…
Rifle runs below CO on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Rifle residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across Colorado. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
How Rifle 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.
Rifle and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle | B+ | 24.5% | 8.1% | 13.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Rifle adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Rifle
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Rifle is better than Colorado on 1 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside Rifle’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Rifle | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.4%15.7–21.3 | 15.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.5–15.1 | 11.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%15.9–20.3 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.5%18.6–31.4 | 26.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.1%6.9–9.5 | 8.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 24.6%21.2–28.2 | 27% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 29.4%25.6–33.5 | 31.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.3%18.6–24.1 | 22.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.7–12.5 | 10.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.3%5.7–7 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.8%4.2–5.3 | 5.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.5%4.7–6.2 | 5.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.9 | 2.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.6%9.4–14.1 | 9.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3%11.2–15.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 20.3%16.5–24.5 | 17.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.1%15.6–23 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.7%23.3–34.7 | 30.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 17.4%15–20.1 | 11.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 68%63.2–72.5 | 71.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.9%57.1–64.6 | 64.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.5%79.1–83.8 | 85.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 65.8%62–69.5 | 69.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.7%53.6–63.9 | 62.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.8%61.5–77.5 | 71.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.8%18.4–25.5 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.5%25.2–34.1 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11%9.4–12.8 | 10.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.8%14.7–19 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.4–6.9 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.4–5.5 | 4.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%6.7–8.7 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%2.9–3.7 | 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 Rifle
Is Rifle a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rifle is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #107 of 159 in Colorado. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 84%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Rifle?
CDC estimates 24.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 18.6% and 31.4%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Rifle?
Grand River Hospital District in Rifle, 23.5 miles in a straight line from Rifle’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Rifle have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 17.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 15–20.1%), 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 Rifle 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 Rifle.
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.