Coloradans are expressing deep concerns about the rising cost of living, according to a new bipartisan statewide survey, the Colorado Health Foundation's Pulse poll. The annual poll also found that concerns about government and politics rose sharply from 2024.
Nearly nine in 10 of those polled rated the rising cost of living as an extremely or very serious problem. That was followed by the cost of housing, the cost of health care and homelessness — which at least 74 percent called an extremely or very serious problem.
“It's stark to note that those in the lowest income categories, 84 percent, tell us either they're just getting by or really struggling financially,” said Lori Weigel, Republican pollster with New Bridge Strategy.
A team of researchers collected responses from more than 2,300 people from April 19 to May 18, 2025.
The poll was done weeks before Congressional Republicans passed a budget bill with deep cuts to health care and food assistance. Concerns about a myriad of issues in the legislation can be expected to show up in 2026, Pulse pollsters said.
“I think the policy changes that have been enacted or may be enacted in the coming months are definitely going to affect public opinion and the level of concern about those issues,” said Dave Metz, Democratic pollster and president of FM3 Research.
Cost of living squeezing many, Coloradans report
The rising cost of living has been described as at least a somewhat serious problem since 2022. But the share that called it an extremely or very serious problem has risen sharply, from 63 percent in 2020 to 89 percent in 2025.
Younger women and 93 percent of those 18-49 expressed the highest concern among various demographic groups, including gender, party and household income. More than 90 percent of Democrats (92%), Independents (91%) called the cost of living an extremely or very serious problem; a high number of Republicans (83%) did the same.
Even for the richest Coloradans, those making more than $150,000 a year, that sentiment prevailed — 84 percent said it’s an extremely or very serious problem. At least 90 percent of all other income levels rate it the same way.
Among the state’s regions, cost-of-living concerns were notably lower on the Eastern Plains, with 73 percent saying it's an extremely or very serious problem. That compares with 91 percent in metro Denver, the region with the highest level of cost-of-living concerns.
Across virtually every question, Colorado expressed concerns at high levels about the cost of living:
- Fewer than one quarter of Coloradans report living comfortably with increased savings
- Two in five say they are worse off financially that they were a year ago
- Seven in 10 are worried about living in Colorado in the future
- Nearly a third are worried about affording enough food to feed themselves and their family, with Black, Latino, American Indian and Alaska Native Coloradans being more likely to be worried about food insecurity than white or Asian American/Pacific Island Coloradans.
- Just under one in 10 Coloradans have been laid off in the past year
- About one-third are worried about losing their home due to being unable to afford their rent or mortgage.
- About one in 10 say they have skipped meals because they couldn’t afford food
There’s “a huge relationship to income where it's more than two-thirds of the lowest income Coloradans that we spoke to indicating that they are worried about not being able to afford enough food to feed themselves and their family,” said Weigel.
That coincides with what those who operate food banks in Colorado have been saying, that they’re struggling to keep up with the needs of struggling families.
“We're seeing the effects and the impact,” said Erik Hicks, CEO of Metro Caring in Denver, at a news event last week. “Right now, Metro Caring has nearly 600 families or households that come to us for food weekly. This is something that is taking place right now, immediately, in our community.”
Serious concerns about health care costs
Concerns about the cost of health care have been going up over the last five years. Seventy-five percent in this year’s poll said it's an extremely serious or very serious problem. That’s up 10 percentage points since 2021.
More than a third said they’re worried that they or someone in their household will be without health insurance in the coming year. Loss of a job, increasing costs and inability to afford it were listed as the top factors.
Among verbatim comments about health insurance loss: "because I pay out of pocket for ridiculous priced health insurance," "threatened cuts to Medicare by GOP in Congress,” “constant layoffs and job market,” and “Trump making insane cuts to public services like Medicaid.”
Two in five said they've postponed medical or dental care in the last year.
Coloradans volunteered government/politics as the top issue facing the state
Another thing that stood out for 2025, pollsters said, is that concerns related to government and politics were volunteered as the most important issues facing Colorado.
Thirty-two percent of respondents suggested it as the top issue. That was followed by cost of living/inflation (13%), housing affordability (10%) and immigration/crisis at the border/border security/deportations (7%) and homelessness (6%).
Nineteen percent were critical of the Trump administration or Republican leadership, nine percent were critical of the Polis administration or Democratic leadership and the remaining 4 percent were concerned about partisan polarization and other parts of the political process.
Verbatim comments reflected those responses: “Losing federal funding for institutions such as libraries and schools, public land being sold to the private sector, high cost of living,” one said. “Encroaching, authoritarian overreach by a fascist, narcissistic president,” said another. “How about getting rid of the ignorant liberals who are trying to destroy our state!!!” said another Coloradan.
Regarding the comments people offered, “some of them are coming from the political right, some of them are coming from the political left and then other people are expressing concern about basic kitchen-table issues,” Metz said.
He noted, compared to prior years, that concern around government and policy shot up dramatically in the last year, jumping 21 percent in the poll.
“We've never even had 20 percent of respondents who named that as their top concern,” he said, noting that this is despite the fact that the Pulse survey started during the first Trump administration and has continued since then. “So there's been a lot of political change and tumult over that period of time, but this is the first time we've really seen it be such a central focus for Coloradans as the issue that most concerns them.”
