Which Colorado counties are the healthiest
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Denver County has room to improve when it comes to the health outcomes of its residents, a new report suggests.
Why it matters: Denver lags in key quality-of-life metrics like housing affordability, air quality, income inequality and child care cost burden — all essential drivers of long-term health.
- That's according to the 2025 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, an annual analysis by the University of Wisconsin's Population Health Institute.
How it works: The study weighs more than just physical and mental health. It looks at education, employment, housing, environmental factors and more — what researchers call "social determinants of health."
Zoom in: Denver County scored slightly better than the average Colorado county — and better than the U.S. average — in several categories, including:
- Access to exercise opportunities
- Broadband availability
- High school graduation rates
- Number of mental and physical health providers
The big picture: Despite their resources, Colorado's biggest counties, including Denver and El Paso, aren't the healthiest in the state.
- The state's healthiest counties are, not coincidentally, also its wealthiest. Douglas County topped the list again this year.
- Southern Colorado counties, including Crowley (ranked last), fared the worst.