Colorado Records The 10th Highest Senior Fall Death Rate In The Nation, Losing 4,604 Lives

Blaine Howerton | NorthFortyNews.com

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Colorado recorded the tenth-highest senior fall death rate in the nation at 93.92 per 100,000, with 4,604 total deaths from 2020 to 2024, averaging more than two deaths every single day.
• Colorado’s fall death rate is 1.4 times the national average of 65.84 per 100,000, rounding out the top 10 and placing it well above the majority of U.S. states.
• Colorado recorded the highest single-year death toll in 2022 with 1,006 fatalities, the only year in the period to exceed 1,000 deaths, before deaths declined in 2023 and 2024.

In Colorado, senior falls have claimed more than 4,600 lives in just five years, a toll that places the state among the 10 most dangerous in the nation for fall-related deaths. A total of 4,604 adults aged 65 and older died from fall-related injuries from 2020 to 2024, averaging more than two deaths every single day. With a rate of 93.92 per 100,000 seniors, Colorado rounds out the top 10 nationally, underscoring the ongoing risk for the state’s 980,364 seniors.

According to the analysis by Grigor Law Injury and Car Accident Lawyers, fall-related death data for adults aged 65 and older were examined across all 50 U.S. states from 2020 through 2024 using CDC Falls Data and Research records. Rates were calculated per 100,000 seniors based on U.S. Census Bureau population estimates for 2024, allowing for fair comparison across states of different sizes.

States With the Highest Senior Fall Death Rates per 100,000

Colorado ranks 10th nationally with a senior fall death rate of 93.92 per 100,000, recording 4,604 deaths over five years and averaging 921 deaths per year. The state’s rate places it just below Oregon at 99.22, roughly five points apart. Despite being the lowest rate in the top 10, Colorado’s rate is still 1.4 times the national average of 65.84 per 100,000. Concentrated in the Midwest and Northeast, eight of the top 10 states are located there, with Colorado and Oregon as the only Western entries.

Looking at the study, Chrissy Grigoropoulos, founder of Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, commented:

“Colorado’s position in the top 10 should not be dismissed simply because it ranks last among them. With more than two seniors dying from falls every day and a peak of over 1,000 deaths in a single year, the scale of this crisis is significant. Colorado must continue investing in fall prevention, particularly for its growing senior population, and ensure that altitude, terrain, and rural access challenges are factored into the state’s public health strategy.”

Colorado’s Senior Fall Deaths Year by Year From 2020 to 2024

Colorado’s senior fall deaths peaked in 2022 at 1,006, the only year in the period to surpass 1,000 fatalities, before declining in both 2023 and 2024. Deaths dropped 6.7% in 2023 and another 8.1% in 2024, bringing the total down to 863, slightly below the 2020 baseline of 867. This two-year decline makes Colorado one of the few top 10 states to show a recent downward trend, though the five-year total of 4,604 deaths still reflects a substantial and sustained crisis.

Colorado’s Senior Population Breakdown by Age Group

Colorado is home to 980,364 seniors aged 65 and older, with the largest share, 32.6%, falling in the 65 to 69 age group. However, 39.7% of the state’s senior population is aged 75 and older, the age range most vulnerable to fatal falls. The 85-and-over group alone accounts for 92,513 residents, or 9.4% of all seniors. This concentration of older seniors is a key factor behind Colorado’s elevated fall death rate, as the risk of fatal falls climbs sharply with advancing age.

Methodology

Data on fall-related deaths among adults aged 65 and older were sourced from the CDC Falls Data and Research portal, which draws on the CDC WISQARS (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System). Death counts cover the period from 2020 through 2024 across all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. State-level senior population estimates for adults aged 65 and older were sourced from U.S. Census Bureau data for 2024. The slip-and-fall rate for each state was calculated by dividing the average annual deaths over the five-year period by the state’s 2024 senior population, then multiplying by 100,000. The District of Columbia was included in national totals but excluded from the 50-state ranking due to its non-state status. All rankings are based on the per-capita rate rather than raw death counts to allow fair comparison across states of different population sizes.

Data Sources

• CDC Falls Data and Research: https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data-research/index.html
• Research Dataset: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wrlhqvge2a0CW7KH4HAJOYty_88uP3uGkHvEuKu60oc/edit?gid=0#gid=0
• Research by: https://grigorlaw.com/

About Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers

Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers is a premier New York “all injury” law firm representing clients in personal injury, car accidents, workers’ compensation, and no-fault claims.

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