Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0Within Colorado, Wheat Ridge is healthier than 53% of graded towns
Wheat Ridge differs from Colorado on 6 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wheat Ridge. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wheat Ridge
Colorado sets a high bar
Wheat Ridge is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, but only 53% of the 159 Colorado towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Arthritis runs high in Wheat Ridge
1 in 4 adults have arthritis (26.8%), vs 22.9% across Colorado. Conditions ↓
Wheat Ridge has a top-rated hospital
Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Wheat Ridge’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Wheat Ridge’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wheat Ridge is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, #75 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 97% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 76%.
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). Wheat Ridge’s median household income is $90,564; among the 9,882 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($68K–$113K), it’s healthier than 95%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Wheat Ridge
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Wheat Ridge, 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 Wheat Ridge; ≈ 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 Wheat Ridge adults…
Wheat Ridge runs above CO on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Colorado
Share of adults, with the Colorado figure marked.
15 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Wheat Ridge adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Colorado.
How Wheat Ridge 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.
Wheat Ridge and the towns around it
Wheat Ridge’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 6 graded towns around it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat Ridge | A | 24.3% | 9.4% | 11% | CDC place |
| Arvada | A | 23.4% | 8.3% | 10.3% | CDC place |
| Fairmount | A+ | 21.7% | 8.2% | 8.4% | CDC place |
| Edgewater | A | 24.3% | 7.1% | 10.3% | CDC place |
| Lakewood | A | 23.8% | 8.7% | 10.7% | CDC place |
| Applewood | A+ | 23% | 8.7% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Mountain View | — | — | — | — |
Mountain View: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Wheat Ridge adults live with a disability (Colorado 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wheat Ridge
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wheat Ridge is better than Colorado on 2 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Colorado figure falls inside Wheat Ridge’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wheat Ridge | CO | U.S. | vs CO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.5%13.7–17.5 | 15.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.8–13.5 | 11.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.7–17.1 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.3%20.9–28 | 26.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.4%8.3–10.8 | 8.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 29.7%27–32.5 | 27% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%31.4–37.3 | 31.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.8%24.4–29.2 | 22.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.3–12.8 | 10.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.9%8.1–9.7 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.2–6.5 | 5.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 5.7%5.1–6.5 | 5.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.8–3.3 | 2.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.6%8.6–12.9 | 9.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11%9.5–12.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 15.5%13.2–18.1 | 17.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.9%16.6–21.3 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.8%27.3–34.5 | 30.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.2%9–11.7 | 11.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.5%70.6–76.2 | 71.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.3%61.3–67.2 | 64.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.8%85.3–88.2 | 85.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71%67.9–73.9 | 69.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.9%64.1–71.4 | 62.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.4%66.2–77.9 | 71.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.2%20.6–26 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.8%24.9–30.9 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.2%9.9–12.7 | 10.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.7%12.2–15.2 | 13.9% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.5–8.1 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%4–4.8 | 4.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 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 Wheat Ridge
Is Wheat Ridge a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wheat Ridge is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns: A for health, #75 of 159 in Colorado. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 95%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wheat Ridge?
CDC estimates 24.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.9% and 28%, against 26.1% across Colorado and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wheat Ridge?
Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge, 0.8 miles in a straight line from Wheat Ridge’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Wheat Ridge have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9–11.7%), 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 Wheat Ridge 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 Wheat Ridge.
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.