Health Profile of Boulder, Colorado
Boulder Health Score
The Map AI Health Index is a score that reflects local life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and physical environment to help you quickly compare the overall health and well-being of different areas.
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A+
Boulder Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Boulder | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 82.0 | 80.0 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 3.4% | 7.7% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 7.8% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Boulder is 82.0 years, about 2.0 years longer than the Colorado average of 80.0 years. The uninsured rate is 3.4%, lower than the Colorado average of 7.7%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 7.8% of residents, lower than the Colorado average of 13.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
22,239 residents in Boulder are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,587 611 men · 976 women
- 75–84 2,844 1,151 men · 1,694 women
- 65–74 5,511 2,631 men · 2,880 women
- 50–64 12,296 6,355 men · 5,941 women
Younger residents
10,391 residents in Boulder are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 3,276 1,571 boys · 1,705 girls
- 7–12 3,137 1,661 boys · 1,476 girls
- 3–7 2,351 1,287 boys · 1,064 girls
- 0–3 1,627 854 boys · 773 girls
About 2,304 residents in Boulder (2.5% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 82.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Boulder | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 4.6% | 9.3% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 4.7% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 3.6% | 6.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 16.2% | 26.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Boulder is about 50% lower than in Colorado. The rate of heart disease in Boulder is about 42% lower than in Colorado. The rate of obesity in Boulder is about 39% lower than in Colorado.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Boulder | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 10.8% | 16.1% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 20.8% | 17.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 11.9% | 19.9% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Boulder is about 40% lower than in Colorado. The rate of smoking in Boulder is about 33% lower than in Colorado. The rate of binge drinking in Boulder is about 17% higher than in Colorado.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 89,020 cigarettes a day, 2.7 million a month, or 32.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 979,218 minutes a day and 357.4 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Boulder is 82.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 8.29 lifetimes a year.
* Source: Shaw M, Mitchell R, Dorling D. "Time for a smoke? One cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes." BMJ. 2000;320:53.
Illustrative only. This is not an estimate of how many people actually die from smoking each day or year - it's a rough, order-of-magnitude comparison meant to help grasp the scale of smoking in this area. We take no responsibility for any decisions made based on this figure.
Air Quality
| Metric | Boulder | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.60 | 4.49 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.6 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Boulder is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Boulder, Colorado has an overall health index grade of A+, making it notably better than Colorado, and far better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Boulder, Colorado.
Is Boulder, Colorado a healthy place to live?
Boulder, Colorado has a Map AI Health Index grade of A+, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; an A+ grade means residents are among the healthiest and longest-living in the country.
What is the average lifespan in Boulder, Colorado?
People in Boulder, Colorado can expect to live 82.0 years on average, 2.0 years longer than the Colorado average of 80.0.
How many people lack health insurance in Boulder, Colorado?
3.4% of residents in Boulder, Colorado have no health insurance, about 1 in 30 people, 4.4 points below the Colorado rate of 7.7%.
How common is obesity in Boulder, Colorado?
16.2% of adults in Boulder, Colorado are classified as obese, about 1 in 6, 10.1 points below the Colorado rate of 26.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Boulder, Colorado go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 89,020 cigarettes a day, 2.7 million a month, or 32.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 979,218 minutes a day and 357.4 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Boulder is 82.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 8.29 lifetimes a year.
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