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These Are The 10 Stressed Places In Colorado

By Chris Kolmar
Apr. 13, 2016
Last Modified and Fact Checked on: Jan. 23, 2026

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Top 10 Most Stressed Places in Colorado: 2026 Update

Are you feeling the pressure of starting a new job? You’re not alone. Stress levels can vary significantly depending on where you live, and some areas in Colorado face unique challenges that heighten stress for residents.

From increasing commute times to the demands of a competitive job market, certain Colorado cities are grappling with stress factors that go beyond the typical first-day jitters. So, where in Colorado is stress at its peak?

According to recent analyses, Edgewater has been identified as the most stressed city in Colorado, leading a list of the top 10 most stressed locations in the Centennial State:

  1. Edgewater
  2. Sheridan
  3. Northglenn
  4. Aurora
  5. Federal Heights
  6. Carbondale
  7. Rifle
  8. Thornton
  9. Englewood
  10. Wheat Ridge

Continue reading to discover the reasons these cities in Colorado are in need of some stress relief.

How We Measured Stress in Colorado

To evaluate stress levels, we identified a set of six criteria that capture the main causes of stress for residents. We analyzed data from the most recent American Community Survey:

  1. Percentage of residents with a long commute (over 30 minutes)
  2. Unemployment Rate
  3. Average Hours Worked
  4. Population Density
  5. Percentage of Income Spent on Rent
  6. Percentage of Population Without Health Insurance

A higher score in any of these categories indicates a greater level of stress for the population of that area.

We ranked each city from 1 to 79 (with 1 being the most stressed) based on these criteria, deriving an overall Stress Score that identifies the most stressed locations in Colorado.

1. Edgewater

Population: 5,217
People Who Pay High Rent: 53.7%
People With Long Commutes: 31.7%
People Without Insurance: 33.2%

2. Sheridan

Population: 5,819
People Who Pay High Rent: 61.5%
People With Long Commutes: 42.4%
People Without Insurance: 19.0%

3. Northglenn

Population: 37,075
People Who Pay High Rent: 53.0%
People With Long Commutes: 44.7%
People Without Insurance: 17.5%

4. Aurora

Population: 339,480
People Who Pay High Rent: 55.3%
People With Long Commutes: 44.6%
People Without Insurance: 20.2%

5. Federal Heights

Population: 11,835
People Who Pay High Rent: 47.3%
People With Long Commutes: 40.8%
People Without Insurance: 34.3%

6. Carbondale

Population: 6,464
People Who Pay High Rent: 50.8%
People With Long Commutes: 36.1%
People Without Insurance: 33.2%

7. Rifle

Population: 9,397
People Who Pay High Rent: 58.5%
People With Long Commutes: 30.6%
People Without Insurance: 27.3%

8. Thornton

Population: 124,707
People Who Pay High Rent: 50.7%
People With Long Commutes: 46.7%
People Without Insurance: 15.8%

9. Englewood

Population: 31,298
People Who Pay High Rent: 48.0%
People With Long Commutes: 33.8%
People Without Insurance: 16.3%

10. Wheat Ridge

Population: 30,655
People Who Pay High Rent: 53.3%
People With Long Commutes: 31.0%
People Without Insurance: 14.1%

Detailed List of Stressed Places in Colorado

City Rank Population People Who Pay High Rent People With Long Commutes People Without Insurance
Edgewater 1 5,217 53.7% 31.7% 33.2%
Sheridan 2 5,819 61.5% 42.4% 19.0%
Northglenn 3 37,075 53.0% 44.7% 17.5%
Aurora 4 339,480 55.3% 44.6% 20.2%
Federal Heights 5 11,835 47.3% 40.8% 34.3%
Carbondale 6 6,464 50.8% 36.1% 33.2%
Rifle 7 9,397 58.5% 30.6% 27.3%
Thornton 8 124,707 50.7% 46.7% 15.8%
Englewood 9 31,298 48.0% 33.8% 16.3%
Wheat Ridge 10 30,655 53.3% 31.0% 14.1%
Longmont 11 88,547 52.4% 29.8% 16.2%
Lakewood 12 145,880 49.1% 35.7% 15.2%
Gunnison 13 5,927 62.1% 18.3% 18.5%
Woodland Park 14 7,187 52.9% 53.2% 11.9%
La Junta 15 7,040 57.6% 18.0% 14.0%
Westminster 16 109,296 47.1% 40.2% 13.2%
Lochbuie 17 5,127 58.3% 53.3% 20.2%
Denver 18 633,777 47.5% 32.7% 15.9%
Fort Lupton 19 7,595 51.5% 48.5% 20.4%
Brighton 20 35,004 47.1% 42.3% 18.7%
Commerce City 21 48,792 48.3% 47.1% 16.6%
Delta 22 8,801 51.7% 25.2% 21.0%
Pueblo 23 107,706 54.1% 15.6% 14.7%
Littleton 24 43,710 49.0% 35.5% 12.6%
Glenwood Springs 25 9,668 55.4% 23.6% 25.8%
Greeley 26 95,677 50.4% 22.7% 15.1%
Lafayette 27 25,812 51.7% 29.4% 10.7%
Arvada 28 109,800 46.4% 37.9% 10.1%
Loveland 29 70,093 49.3% 29.6% 13.8%
Fountain 30 26,881 56.8% 27.8% 7.1%
Colorado Springs 31 433,547 48.6% 20.1% 13.7%
Boulder 32 102,002 59.6% 17.1% 8.6%
Cortez 33 8,515 45.4% 14.0% 22.2%
Evans 34 19,535 48.8% 25.9% 17.2%
Lamar 35 7,810 48.6% 12.5% 15.3%
Alamosa 36 9,427 61.2% 7.8% 13.0%
Fort Collins 37 149,627 58.4% 17.0% 10.2%
Sterling 38 14,709 38.3% 10.5% 21.6%
Montrose 39 19,018 46.7% 15.7% 20.4%
Milliken 40 5,837 47.9% 46.0% 25.1%
Craig 41 9,092 54.5% 23.1% 15.2%
Fruita 42 12,702 54.2% 19.9% 12.8%
Centennial 43 104,213 43.6% 34.9% 7.3%
Castle Rock 44 51,802 50.6% 41.2% 8.0%
Wellington 45 6,634 52.9% 36.4% 8.1%
Grand Junction 46 59,731 51.3% 8.9% 14.6%
Trinidad 47 8,657 50.0% 14.7% 17.9%
Eagle 48 6,511 52.6% 25.7% 15.2%
Broomfield 49 59,027 43.7% 40.5% 8.0%
Salida 50 5,329 42.6% 7.5% 20.0%
Golden 51 19,759 48.1% 29.9% 10.1%
Fort Morgan 52 11,397 43.6% 10.9% 13.4%
Louisville 53 19,171 61.3% 22.8% 4.8%
Durango 54 17,268 51.5% 11.7% 18.8%
Berthoud 55 5,323 44.7% 36.7% 10.3%
Parker 56 47,515 41.7% 39.8% 5.5%
Firestone 57 10,908 26.3% 58.5% 12.1%
Monument 58 6,226 58.2% 20.8% 8.5%
Brush 59 5,493 33.2% 16.2% 11.3%
Manitou Springs 60 5,175 38.6% 22.6% 16.4%
Aspen 61 6,700 35.4% 9.4% 16.9%
John 62 11,639 37.1% 49.2% 7.0%
Castle Pines 63 10,626 37.8% 34.5% 2.1%
Ca 64 16,410 45.5% 16.5% 12.2%
Ca 65 16,410 45.5% 16.5% 12.2%
Ca 66 16,410 45.5% 16.5% 12.2%
Ca 67 16,410 45.5% 16.5% 12.2%
Steamboat Springs 68 12,044 49.5% 6.6% 15.9%
Gypsum 69 6,587 27.8% 37.3% 14.0%
Frederick 70 9,636 37.7% 50.6% 6.3%
Avon 71 6,384 43.3% 12.8% 26.8%
Vail 72 5,280 44.8% 9.1% 13.6%
Windsor 73 19,865 49.3% 26.2% 6.4%
Superior 74 12,716 36.4% 25.9% 4.9%
Lone Tree 75 12,328 31.0% 28.8% 9.3%
Estes Park 76 6,022 48.6% 13.2% 12.7%
Erie 77 19,305 32.5% 36.8% 5.4%
Greenwood Village 78 14,546 39.9% 22.5% 4.0%
Cherry Hills Village 79 6,234 12.3% 17.6% 1.5%

Understanding the stress factors in these cities can help residents and policymakers work towards solutions that improve quality of life. As the landscape of work and living conditions continues to evolve, it’s essential to address the root causes of stress in our communities.

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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