Three-quarters of Colorado residents said they were worried about whether they would be able to afford to continue living in the state, according to a poll conducted this spring.

Last year, about 70% of people responding to the Colorado Health Foundation’s annual Pulse poll said they weren’t sure living here would remain financially feasible. That rose to 76% this year.

“That majority concern was cutting across regions, across income levels, across racial and ethnic groups,” said Lucia Del Puppo, senior vice president at FM3 Research, which works with Democrats.

The poll found that the majority of those sampled said they had already cut back on entertainment spending and charitable giving, with smaller shares saying they’d skipped meals, delayed medical or dental care, or paid a utility bill late.

Only about one in four people said they hadn’t changed their spending or dealt with a financial setback in the last year, with older people and Republicans reporting less budget strain.

“It’s significant and it affects the overall economy” when people reduce their discretionary spending, said Lori Weigel, principal of New Bridge Strategy, which works with Republicans.

The responses suggested a significant minority expected further financial strains in the coming year:

• About two in five worried they or a family member would lose health insurance
• Three in 10 worried about affording enough food
• One-third thought they might lose their housing because they couldn’t afford their mortgage or rent

Notably, more than half of renters were worried about whether they could continue to afford their housing, Weigel said. One-third said they’d avoided asking their landlords to fix problems to avoid rent increases, and one-quarter said they’d taken on high-interest debt, such as payday loans or credit card balances, to deal with housing costs, she said.

Lower-income people and those who identified as Black, Hispanic or Native American reported greater financial struggles than other groups.

Even people who haven’t had to cut back are worried about affordability. When asked to rate the seriousness of a list of potential problems, 85% said both the general cost of living and the cost of housing were either “very serious” or “extremely serious.” Additionally, 82% said the cost of health care was a very serious or extremely serious problem.

Younger people were particularly worried about housing costs, with 94% of millennials and 90% of Generation Z members describing the problem as very or extremely serious.

At the same time, when respondents got the chance to name the most important issue facing the state, the largest share — 28% — chose government and politics. The cost of living and inflation came close behind, with 25% deeming it the top issue.

Winter Park will celebrate Colorado’s 150th anniversary of statehood and the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary with musical performances and a drone show.

Hosted by the Town of Winter Park, the celebration will take place Friday, July 17 on the rooftop parking structure adjacent to Cooper Creek Square. The venue will be transformed into an open-air gathering space featuring a performance stage, a drone show, a photo booth, food and beverage vendors and seating for attendees.

Live entertainment begins at 5 p.m. with the Jessica Jones Trio featuring Kory Montgomery and Tommy Shugart. Hazel Miller & the Collective, one of Colorado’s best-known live acts, will take the stage from 7:15 to 9 p.m.

The evening will conclude with a drone show from 9 to approximately 9:30 p.m., illuminating the sky in honor of Colorado’s sesquicentennial and America’s semiquincentennial.

Guests are encouraged to explore the Cooper Creek Square Entertainment District before and during the event. Beverages purchased from participating businesses in the district may be brought to the rooftop, where additional beverage vendors and light snacks will also be available.

The free community celebration is supported by the Colorado Tourism Office and is part of the statewide America 250–Colorado 150 commemoration, which recognizes Colorado’s 150 years of statehood and the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.