Equity Data Navigator
Explore Health Equity in Your Community
How to Use the Equity Data Navigator
The Equity Data Navigator shows the relationship between race, the social determinants of health, and health outcomes. Here are a few of our findings:
In the Navigator, we measure health outcomes by looking at a person's and their status. Some bordering counties see a difference in life expectancy of more than 10 years.
Across Colorado, factors such as higher educational attainment and having health insurance are associated with a better self-reported health status.
The model also showed that in areas with richer racial/ethnic diversity, systemic issues—such as a lack of affordable homes and high food costs—caused lower scores in the SDOH index, ultimately yielding poorer health outcomes.
What Are the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)?
Data Transparency
September 2025
How We Chose the Data for the Equity Data Navigator
What Guides Our Data Choices
Why We Use Five-Year Estimates
When More Detail Is Needed
We Want Your Feedback
FAQ's
How do I use the Equity Data Navigator?
What is a “census tract”?
Why do some of the data have a range of years listed instead of one year?
Why is some data missing?
Why are some of the metrics the same value for all neighborhoods (census tracts) in a county?
How often is the data on the Equity Data Navigator updated?
Can I combine areas to look at groups of census tracts or counties?
What if I think the data is wrong or doesn’t match my community’s experience?
How We Chose the Data for the Equity Data Navigator
At the Colorado Equity Compass (CEC), we believe data should work for communities, not just researchers. We built the Equity Data Navigator to give local organizations, advocates, and residents access to trustworthy information in a way that’s easy to use.
When putting the Navigator together, we had to make choices about which data to include. No data source is perfect, but we used clear criteria to guide our decisions so that the Navigator reflects CEC’s mission and values.
What Guides Our Data Choices
We selected data based on four principles:
Evidence-based: Data must have a clear connection to health or the social conditions that shape health.
Accessible and understandable: Data must be free, easy to interpret, and available for download directly from the CEC website.
Recent: We use the most up-to-date sources available, prioritizing data that is updated regularly.
Local: Whenever possible, we include information at the neighborhood (census tract) level. For some important measures, only county or regional data are available.
Most of the Navigator’s population and income data come from the American Community Survey (ACS), which is run every year by the U.S. Census Bureau and includes responses from more than 50,000 Coloradans. We also use seven other state and national sources to fill out the picture of health and social conditions in Colorado communities.
Why We Use Five-Year Estimates
Because the ACS neighborhood-level data is based on survey samples, results for small populations or neighborhoods can swing from year to year. To make the data more stable, we use five-year estimates (2019–2023). This approach smooths out volatility and helps us provide the clearest snapshot possible of local communities.
That said, combining five years of data makes year-to-year comparisons difficult, and the ACS doesn’t always fully capture every community. For example, Colorado’s American Indian or Alaska Native populations are sometimes undercounted. We know this can be frustrating, and we want to be clear: when numbers look low, that does not mean a community’s experience is less real or less important. This is simply the best available data at the time, and we believe the Census should do a better job of representing all people.
When More Detail Is Needed
The Navigator has limited ability to break down data by race, ethnicity, or other demographic groups at the neighborhood level. This is a gap we care deeply about. To help fill it, we’ve added links to:
Essential Data Sources: Reliable, detailed data by race/ethnicity and social determinants of health in the Navigator.
Resources: Guidance and tools for finding and using disaggregated data.
Community Stories: Stories from across Colorado that add lived experience to the numbers.
We Want Your Feedback
The Navigator is a tool for communities, and your input matters. If you notice gaps, have questions, or want to suggest improvements, please reach out to us at [email protected]. Your feedback helps us strengthen this resource and ensure it reflects the realities of Colorado communities.
FAQs
How do I use the Equity Data Navigator?
We have created a walkthrough video to demonstrate how to use the features of the Navigator.
What is a “census tract”?
A census tract is a unit of geography determined by the U.S. Census Bureau. In urban areas, a census tract is relatively small, but they can be much larger in rural areas. On average, census tracts contain about 4,000 people.
Why do some of the data have a range of years listed instead of one year?
The Equity Data Navigator often uses multiyear estimates, which allow for more data to be available across more counties and census tracts. For example, median income by county for 2021 alone is only available from the Census Bureau for Colorado counties with populations greater than 65,000 people. To provide the most geographically comprehensive dataset, we use multiyear estimates, which mitigates the problem of small sample sizes by combining data from multiple years.
Why is some data missing?
Because the Equity Data Navigator combines multiple data sources, there can be many reasons why some data may be missing. Most sources do not specify why, but the most common reason is that not enough information or survey responses were gathered from that area.
Why are some of the metrics the same value for all neighborhoods (census tracts) in a county?
For some data sources, information is only available at the county level, not the neighborhood level. In these cases, all census tracts in a county are assigned the county-level value.
How often is the data on the Equity Data Navigator updated?
The Navigator is updated annually, during the first few months of the year. The last update was in March 2025, and the next update is scheduled for February 2026.
Can I combine areas to look at groups of census tracts or counties?
No. The Navigator does not currently allow users to select more than one area at a time. However, you can download raw data that can be combined for analysis. If you need help analyzing multiple areas, please contact us for support.
What if I think the data is wrong or doesn’t match my community’s experience?
We recognize that data isn’t perfectly representative and can miss the experiences of underrepresented or historically marginalized communities. Often, personal and community stories are needed to provide the full picture. If the data doesn’t match your expectations, we welcome your feedback and would love to explore ways to bring your voice into the CEC.
Explore Health Equity in Your Community
Resources
Our resource library of tools, data sources, reports, and more can help you learn more about health equity issues and advocate for community change.
