The State of Aging in Colorado 2025
Colorado continues to be one of the fastest aging states in the country. This reality necessitates that policymakers understand how older Coloradans, their loved ones, and the systems meant to support them, are doing. Over the past several years, the Bell has begun tracking these outcomes through our State of Aging reports.
Below, we provide an update to the State of Aging using recent data. Overall, we find that, throughout the past several years, Colorado has made progress in creating a more age-friendly state. Work certainly remains, but notably, this progress includes closing some prominent racial/ethnic disparities.
We explore this progress, but also some of the concerning state and federal developments that may endanger this work, in the following update. Note: This report was originally published in our 2021 State of Aging Report.
Background on the State of Aging and Prior Findings
At the end of 2021, the Bell released an inaugural State of Aging to holistically assess the health and wellbeing of older Coloradans, their caregivers, and the associated public support systems. A report, which accompanied a data dashboard, highlighted some of the more prominent findings, including that: the high cost of living was a challenge for many older Coloradans; equity disparities were prominent; and multiple data gaps existed. A State of Aging update was released a couple years later. Created during COVID, and reliant upon limited pandemic level data, we largely found a continuation of the previously mentioned trends.
What the Latest Data Shows About Aging
Upon examination of the most recent data, several trends related to the state of aging in Colorado become clear, which are explored below.
Please note that this report includes data related to the explicitly covered trends. If you are interested in seeing additional data points not covered in this report, but discussed in the initial State of Aging, please reach out to the author, who can provide additional information.
Data gaps persist:
One of the most prominent findings from prior State of Aging reports was that our state lacks quality, disaggregated data related to aging. This is particularly true as it relates to marginalized Coloradans, including those who come from communities of color and rural, LGBTQ, and disability communities. After examining the current state of the data, we find that this trend continues.
Through our most recent examination, we uncovered another data wrinkle. In prior State of Aging reports, we were able to explore geographic differences. However, this time, we were challenged in doing so because of changes in how the Census Bureau geographically disaggregated its data. This change prevented us from being able to examine geographic trends across time periods. Ultimately, this demonstrates the need not only for more disaggregated data, but also the need for more consistent data over which state policymakers have control.
Overall metrics of financial well-being, including among those from communities of color, improved:
One’s relation to the federal poverty threshold is a relatively straightforward, simple way to assess financial wellbeing. Comparing 2019 and 2023 data we find that older Coloradans are, on the whole, doing financially better and living at a higher percentage of the federal poverty threshold.
It’s especially notable that, while financial wellbeing disparities across race/ethnicity continue, these gaps narrowed in the examined time period.
It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact reasons for the above-mentioned trends. However, it’s worth highlighting that during the COVID pandemic, heightened federal assistance was widely credited with helping bring down poverty rates across the country.
Income has increased, but so have costs:
Perhaps unsurprisingly based upon the previously mentioned federal poverty threshold metrics, we find that the three main sources of income for older Coloradans — wages from employment, Social Security, and retirement/pension earnings — increased for nearly all demographic groups (only retirement income for American Indians decreased during this period).
While this is good news, it’s also important to keep in mind that some of these increases are negated by inflation. According to the Census Bureau, between 2019 and 2023, inflation was approximately 19 percent. While each of the income streams, except for retirement/pension, increased by more than inflation, these higher living costs are cutting into older Coloradans’ financial security.
A mixed bag on the use of policy levers to grow economic security for aging Coloradans:
As discussed in the inaugural State of Aging, state policy can support more robust earnings opportunities for older Coloradans. Two of the most effective policy levers in helping to achieve this goal involve developing stronger workforce supports for those who either want or need to work and creating more opportunities to save for retirement. State policymakers have embraced these two policy options to varying degrees.
Over the past several years, Colorado has fully implemented SecureSavings, a state-facilitated retirement plan for those without an employer-sponsored option. Since its full rollout in 2023, the program has already helped Coloradans save millions for retirement. In the coming years, we expect the benefits of this program to grow.
Conversely, however, we’ve seen little movement by the state to prioritize the needs of older workers, who comprise one of the fastest growing segments of the state’s labor force. Despite passing multiple bills to grow upskilling and training opportunities for Colorado workers, few of these efforts explicitly recognize, or provide resources to support the unique needs of older Coloradans who want to remain in the labor force. Continued gaps in this space limit older Coloradans’ ability to earn money and meaningfully contribute to our state’s economy.
Mixed health measures & continued use of public health programs:
The data shows mixed progress as it relates to the health of older Coloradans. Bell analysis of Census Bureau data shows that approximately the same percentage of older adults in 2023 as in 2019 reported having some type of physical or mental health condition that made self-care difficult.
More granular data from the Colorado Health Institute’s (CHI) 2023 Community Health Access Survey shows that, between 2019 and 2023, a higher percentage of Coloradans 61 and older report having worse mental health but better dental coverage and care. There is unequivocally good news, however, in that CHI’s data also shows that, over this period, fewer older Coloradans forwent prescriptions and skipped primary and specialist care.
To access needed health services, we find that older Coloradans are still reliant upon public health systems – primarily Medicare and Medicaid. In particular, Medicaid remains an important source of coverage for older Colordans from communities of color. As discussed in more depth below, this reliance poses concerns for these Coloradans as federal leaders contemplate massive cuts to Medicaid.
Stronger systems to help older adults remain in their communities of choice:
Most Coloradans prefer to age in their homes and communities. Public policy at the state and local level has a role in helping to make this happen.
Compared to 2019, we find that more Coloradans are residing in livable and/or age-friendly communities. These designations indicate that local officials have undertaken efforts to enact age-friendly policies. This might include creating more public transit options for those who don’t drive, supporting affordable health care options, and/or prioritizing universal design housing policies. Notably, we saw particularly large increases in livable and/or age-friendly residence for Black, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander Coloradans.
Importantly, we expect the development of more age-friendly communities in the coming years as the state continues its Lifelong Colorado Initiative.
Over the past few years, Colorado has also had some success in strengthening the direct care workforce, which helps people age in place. Home health workers, personal care aides, and nursing assistants provide direct hands on-services which can keep older Coloradans in their homes and communities. While there continues to be a shortage of workers who provide these vital services, from 2019 to 2023, we saw an increase in the number of home health workers and personal care aides across Colorado. Though this is a promising sign, particularly because Colorado is in dire need of these workers’ services, it should also be noted that the state simultaneously saw a concerning drop in the number of nursing assistants.
Once again, it’s difficult to definitively determine what led to the increase in home health and personal care aides. However, over the past several years the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing has invested millions of federal dollars into bolstering this workforce.
A Cloudy Future Despite Recent Progress
Our analysis suggests that over the past few years, Colorado has made valuable progress in fostering age-friendly policies, systems, and outcomes. Data show that we’re beginning to close equity gaps and are continuing to create systems that support financial well-being and community choice. Despite this good work, however, our progress is endangered by looming state and federal challenges.
Much of our recent progress can be attributed to state and federal investments — whether in the form of enhanced support for care workers, the development of new programs, or a stronger social safety net for our most vulnerable. Unfortunately, however, not only can we expect limited new investments into aging services at the state and federal levels, but we’re also likely to see cuts in ongoing support.
For a variety of reasons, including the imposition of TABOR, Colorado’s budget is facing a structural deficit. In 2025, policymakers had to cut $1.2 billion from the state’s budget. At best, this will result in stagnant funding for many state services older Coloradans rely upon — and at worst, service cuts. Concerningly, Colorado’s budget woes are expected to continue into the coming years.
Federal challenges are exacerbating Colorado’s budget problems. As with many states, Colorado is heavily reliant upon federal funds. This places our state in a precarious position as federal lawmakers are proposing to cut up to $1.5 trillion from the national budget. Funding cuts of this magnitude would certainly trickle down to Colorado and result in service reductions. This is particularly true in the case of Medicaid – a program that could not survive in its current form without ongoing federal assistance.
It should also be noted that the federal government has made clear its intent to end diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Though the fallout from the discontinuation of these efforts remains unclear, it’s likely to impact which activities are funded and supported by our state government. Unfortunately, the upshot is that these federal actions will likely jeopardize the progress we’ve made in closing equity gaps as it relates to aging services and supports in Colorado.
Moving Forward
The data show Colorado continues to make progress in supporting older adults and their families. This good work extends across outcomes related to financial well-being, health, and the ability to live in one’s community of choice. However, as this work continues, there is uncertainty on the horizon as federal and state budget cuts loom. Maintaining and building upon the progress we’ve made will require more intentionality and dedication to creating an inclusive state where everyone has the ability to age in the way they’d prefer.
