Denver is commonly known for its healthy mindset and exercise culture, and The Mile High City consistently earns high rankings as a top healthy city due, in part, to its temperate climate as well as the city’s location with easy access to all the recreational fun of the Rocky Mountains. Rocket Mortgage named Denver the eighth least stressed city in the U.S. in August 2022, citing the city's abundance of outdoor spaces, wellness establishments and mental health providers. Similarly, the American College of Sports Medicine ranked Denver No. 9 on their 2023 American Fitness Index.
In January 2023, WalletHub ranked Denver among the top 10 U.S. cities for active lifestyles as well. A study from the Bankers Life Center for a Secure Retirement also noted Denver as the third best city in America for a healthy retirement. With extensive miles of paved urban bike trails, metro Denver is a haven for cycling enthusiasts. AnytimeEstimate.com ranked Denver No. 6 on its “most bike-friendly” list because of the number of bike trails and bike shops per capita in The Mile High City. LawnStarter put Denver at No. 7 on its “Best Biking Cities in the U.S.” list for similar reasons, but also factored in bike meetups, weather and more.