Climate change anxiety in Colorado, mapped
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Climate anxiety is concentrated in major U.S. metros like Denver but absent in rural Colorado communities.
Why it matters: The disparity paints a stark picture of how attitudes toward climate change vary in the state — and nationwide.
The big picture: About 63% of U.S. adults overall are "somewhat" or "very" worried about global warming as of 2024, per Yale Program on Climate Change Communication estimates based on survey data.
- Yet outlooks vary widely by location, with comparatively low shares of adults expressing such concerns in many counties.
Between the lines: Individual perspectives about climate change are not based entirely (or perhaps even primarily) on local risk, with politics, education and other factors playing big roles.
Zoom in: The dynamic is evident in Colorado. Denver's is the 13th highest (78%) for climate anxiety among the nation's 3,100-plus local jurisdictions surveyed.
- But just 43% of Kiowa County residents on the Eastern Plains are worried.
- Much of Colorado is on par with the national average.