On CDC estimates, Denver is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Denver differs from North Carolina on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Denver. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Denver
Fewer Denver adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below North Carolina. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Cancer runs high in Denver
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.4%), vs 7.9% across North Carolina. Conditions ↓
Denver is an active town
Only 19.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% across North Carolina. 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 North Carolina figure falls outside Denver’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A+.
What’s behind Denver’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Denver is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 87% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 72%.
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). Denver’s median household income is $65,721; among the 10,048 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 98%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.6% of Denver adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Out of every 100 Denver adults…
Denver runs below NC on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Denver residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Stroke and diabetes run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
0.3 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Denver
No hospital or community health center in Denver 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 Denver; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Denver adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Denver adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
3 in 10 Denver adults feel lonely. 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.
Denver and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | A | 32.9% | 9.7% | 11.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Denver adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Denver
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Denver is better than North Carolina on 12 and worse on 1; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Denver’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Denver | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.5%11.9–17.4 | 19% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.4%9.6–13.2 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.2–17.9 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.9%25.4–41.2 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.7%8–11.3 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 34.5%30.1–38.9 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36%31.6–40.7 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.5%24–31.1 | 26.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.1–11.9 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.4–10.4 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.9%5.1–6.8 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.1%4.9–7.4 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.6–3.5 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.6%8.5–12.9 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.7%9–14.6 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.1%15.1–23.4 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.6%13.5–20.1 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.6%24.4–37.2 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.2%5.6–9.3 | 10.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%76.1–83.2 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.5%68.1–74.7 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.6%87.7–91.3 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.3%73.9–80.3 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69%64.2–73.4 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.4%73.4–86.3 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.2%21.4–29.4 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.2%25–35.9 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.3%15.9–23.2 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.9%6.8–11.3 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8%6.3–9.9 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.2–6.4 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.5%4.5–6.6 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.6%4.9–8.6 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.6%23.1–32.4 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.5%9.4–13.8 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.7%10.8–15 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7%6–8.1 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.2–4.3 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.5%5.5–7.7 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.4–3.4 | 4% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 North Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Denver
Is Denver a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Denver is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 98%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Denver?
CDC estimates 32.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.4% and 41.2%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Denver?
Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital in Mooresville, 8.3 miles in a straight line from Denver’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Denver have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–9.3%), against 10.4% across North Carolina.
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 Denver 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 Denver.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Carolina 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.