Diabetes rates have been on the rise for the last two decades, and show no sign of abating. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 11.3% of the U.S. population suffers from diabetes—though many of those affected do not know they have the chronic illness.
Diabetes was the 8th leading cause of death in 2020, but the disease does not impact all Americans equally. Instead, variables like poverty level, geographic region, and race all influence diabetes rates, meaning some Americans are disproportionately impacted by the disease.
The Southeastern portion of the U.S. has a particularly high concentration of counties with elevated diabetes rates, with parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Texas, and nearly all of Louisiana, along with other states, facing some of the highest rates. Studies have shown that lack of access to healthy, affordable foods and health care services, exposure to environmental toxins, and other health hazards associated with poverty and systemic racism contribute to the increased likelihood of developing diabetes. These same conditions also mean that poor, non-white Americans are more likely to endure complications and have higher mortality rates from diabetes than wealthier white Americans with the disease.
The proportion of young people with diabetes is projected to increase over the next several decades, with racial, geographic, and socioeconomic disparities only growing larger if trends continue. Using 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified the counties in Colorado with the highest percentage of adults with diabetes. Ties were broken by the broader Quality of Life rank provided by the analysis, which includes other poor physical and mental health indicators. The age-adjusted diabetes rate was obtained through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
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1 / 25#24. Jackson County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 8% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #NR
--- Quality of life rank: #NR
--- Length of life rank: #NR
- Estimated county population: 1,389
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
2 / 25#24. Kiowa County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 8% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #NR
--- Quality of life rank: #NR
--- Length of life rank: #NR
- Estimated county population: 1,458
Bdearthco // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 25#23. Adams County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #27
--- Quality of life rank: #26
--- Length of life rank: #25
- Estimated county population: 519,883
Jeffrey Beall // Wikimedia Commons
4 / 25#22. Yuma County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #22
--- Quality of life rank: #27
--- Length of life rank: #19
- Estimated county population: 10,047
Jeffrey Beall // Wikimedia Commons
5 / 25#21. Huerfano County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #44
--- Quality of life rank: #28
--- Length of life rank: #51
- Estimated county population: 6,883
Ammodramus // Wikimedia Commons
6 / 25#20. Lincoln County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #24
--- Quality of life rank: #33
--- Length of life rank: #17
- Estimated county population: 5,680
Acutemi // Wikimedia Commons
7 / 25#19. Logan County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #38
--- Quality of life rank: #36
--- Length of life rank: #42
- Estimated county population: 21,974
Jeffrey Beall // Wikimedia Commons
8 / 25#18. Morgan County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #40
--- Quality of life rank: #39
--- Length of life rank: #44
- Estimated county population: 28,941
Jeffrey Beall // Wikimedia Commons
9 / 25#17. Fremont County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #42
--- Quality of life rank: #40
--- Length of life rank: #46
- Estimated county population: 47,867
RandieCraft // Wikimedia Commons
10 / 25#16. Moffat County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #43
--- Quality of life rank: #42
--- Length of life rank: #45
- Estimated county population: 13,144
Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons
11 / 25#15. Sedgwick County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #37
--- Quality of life rank: #45
--- Length of life rank: #29
- Estimated county population: 2,260
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 25#14. Baca County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #39
--- Quality of life rank: #46
--- Length of life rank: #29
- Estimated county population: 3,555
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13 / 25#13. Delta County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #48
--- Quality of life rank: #47
--- Length of life rank: #47
- Estimated county population: 31,067
Daniel Schwen // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 25#12. Lake County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #34
--- Quality of life rank: #50
--- Length of life rank: #15
- Estimated county population: 7,987
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
15 / 25#11. Prowers County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #46
--- Quality of life rank: #41
--- Length of life rank: #48
- Estimated county population: 12,106
John Wark // Wikicommons
16 / 25#10. Pueblo County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #52
--- Quality of life rank: #44
--- Length of life rank: #54
- Estimated county population: 169,823
Jeffrey Beall // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 25#9. Las Animas County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #55
--- Quality of life rank: #48
--- Length of life rank: #57
- Estimated county population: 14,420
Jeffrey Beall // Wikimedia Commons
18 / 25#8. Rio Grande County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #50
--- Quality of life rank: #49
--- Length of life rank: #49
- Estimated county population: 11,296
Jeffrey Beall // Wikimedia Commons
19 / 25#7. Saguache County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #57
--- Quality of life rank: #56
--- Length of life rank: #56
- Estimated county population: 6,938
Billy Hathorn // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 25#6. Otero County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #59
--- Quality of life rank: #52
--- Length of life rank: #59
- Estimated county population: 18,201
Milan Suvajac // Wikimedia Commons
21 / 25#5. Alamosa County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #53
--- Quality of life rank: #55
--- Length of life rank: #52
- Estimated county population: 16,180
Jeffrey Beall // Wikimedia Commons
22 / 25#4. Conejos County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (5 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #54
--- Quality of life rank: #53
--- Length of life rank: #55
- Estimated county population: 8,143
Jeffrey Beall // Wikimedia Commons
23 / 25#3. Crowley County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (5 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #47
--- Quality of life rank: #54
--- Length of life rank: #40
- Estimated county population: 5,696
Billy Hathorn // Wikimedia Commons
24 / 25#2. Bent County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (5 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #58
--- Quality of life rank: #58
--- Length of life rank: #58
- Estimated county population: 5,356
Jeffrey Beall // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 25#1. Costilla County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (7 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #56
--- Quality of life rank: #59
--- Length of life rank: #29
- Estimated county population: 3,921
