About this tool:
This information is meant to inspire solutions that best meet the needs of the people of all ages who live, work and thrive in Colorado. It is not (and will never be) comprehensive, but should serve as a reminder of all the circumstances that might impact an individual’s experience. It is important to note that an individual might have multiple characteristics that could impact their experience.
If a term exists that you’d like to further explore or you don’t quite agree with, we encourage you to browse the internet for additional articles, blogs, etc. on the topic. Just as language evolves over time, our opinions and beliefs may also evolve.
This document was prepared by the Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) EDI Action Alliance for our employees and is a part of EDI Guidelines. This information may be beneficial for any government employee to use when considering a wide variety of Coloradans. It is a living document, which means it should continually be refreshed and updated over time.
Please reach out to OIT's Equity, Diversity & Inclusion team, if you have questions or feedback.
OIT_EDI@state.co.us
Demographics (Specific to Colorado)
Geography
- 64 counties
- County Designations
- Urban: 17 / 26%
- Rural: 24 / 38%
- Frontier: 23 / 36%
- Largest Counties: El Paso, Denver, Arapahoe
- Smallest Counties: Mineral, Hinsdale, San Juan
Race/Ethnicity
If you see an option missing in this list, please reach out to oit_edi@state.co.us
- Multiple Options
- African American, Afro-Caribbean, Black
- Arab American or Middle Eastern
- Asian American or East Asian
- Caucasian, Euro-American, White
- Chicana/o/@, Hispanic American, Latina/o/@/x
- Indian American (India) or South Asian
- Alaska Native, American Indian, Indigenous, Native, Native American
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
- Prefer Not to Answer
Tribal Nations/American Indian & Alaska Native Communities
- Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation
- Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation
- American Indian/Alaska Native communities: which include Tribally enrolled members living across Colorado outside of Southern Ute and Ute
- Mountain Tribes and individuals who self-identify as American Indian/Alaska Native/Native/Indigenous
Age
- Median Age: 37.1
- Age Groups:
- 0 to 9: 12%
- 10 - 19: 13%
- 20 - 29: 15%
- 30 - 39: 15%
- 40 - 49: 13%
- 50 - 59: 12%
- 60 - 69: 11%
- 70 - 79: 6%
- 80+: 3%
Income
- Median Household Income: $77,127
- Household Income
- Under $50K: 31%
- $50K to $100K: 31%
- $100K - $200K: 27%
- Over $200K: 10%
Employment
- Not Working
- Recently Laid Off
- Working for Self
- Full-time Employed
- Part-time Employed
- Contract / On-Call / Temporary
- Location
- Able to Work From Home
- Must Work On-site
- Hours
- Day Time: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
- Night Time: 8 p.m. - 8 a.m.
- Irregular Hours
Gender Identity
- Cisgender
- Man
- Woman
- Transgender
- Trans Man
- Trans Woman
- Genderqueer
- Gender Non-conforming
- Non-binary
- Genderfluid
- Transition or Transitioning
- Agender
Designing for People Under 18
(Multiple Categories May Apply)
- Child or Adolescent with Single Guardian/ Caregiver
- Child or Adolescent with Two Guardians/ Caregivers
- Child or Adolescent with Kinship Caregiver
- Child or Adolescent with Foster Parent(s)
- Child or Adolescent in Out-of-Home or Residential Care
- Child or Adolescent Experiencing Material Deprivation
- Adolescent Aging out of Residential or Foster Care
Social Characteristics
Dependents
- No Dependents
- Caring for Adult(s) (Friend, Family Member)
- Caring for High Needs Adult(s) (Friend, Family Member)
- Caring for Child(ren)
- Caring for High Needs Child(ren)
Support System
- No Support from Family / Friends
- Support from Family / Friends that are Geographically Distanced
- A Few Supportive Family / Friends
- Full Support from Family / Friends
- Support from Family / Friends with Knowledge about Behavioral Health
- Support from Family / Friends with no Knowledge of Behavioral Health
Language Spoken/Read
Note that a person may be a fluent speaker in a language but may not be proficient in writing or reading in that language.
- Amharic, Somali or Other Afro-Asiatic Languages
- Arabic
- Chinese (including Mandarin, Cantonese)
- English
- French (including Cajun)
- German
- Korean
- Russian
- Spanish
- Tagalog (including Filipino)
- Vietnamese
Literacy
- Low: Can locate the expiration date on a driver license or total a bank deposit entry
- Limited: Locate an intersection on a street map and calculate postage and fees when using certified mail
- Basic: Write a brief letter to explain a credit card billing error and use a bus schedule
- Strong: Explain the difference between two types of benefits at work or calculate correct change
- Advanced: Compare and summarize different approaches lawyers use during a trial
Health Literacy
- Strong Proficiency
- Basic Understanding
- Limited Understanding
- Limited Understanding of Health Topics Described in English
Technology Literacy
- Strong Proficiency
- Basic Understanding
- Limited Understanding
- First Generation Immigrant
- Second or more Generation Immigrant
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Recipient
- Refugee / Asylee
- Undocumented
- U.S. Citizen
- Resident
Housing
- Stably Housed
- Renting
- Own Home
- Living with a Friend / Family Member
- Living in a Public or Private Place (Car, Park, Bus / Train Station, etc.)
- Living in a Temporary Housing Shelter
- Imminent Risk of Losing Housing
- Fleeing Domestic Violence
- At-risk of Homelessness
Veteran Status
- Veteran
- Active Duty
Physical Factors
Vision
- Full Vision
- Reduced Vision
- Fully Blind
- Partially Blind
- Light Sensitivity
- Color Blindness
- Eye Fatigue
- Glare
Auditory
- Full Hearing
- Hard of Hearing / Tinnitus
- Deaf
- Low Volume
- Background Noise
Mobility
- Full Mobility
- Walker / Crutches / Cane
- Wheelchair
- Homebound
Transportation Access
- Bike
- Car
- Public Transportation
- Access-a-Ride (RTD-provided complementary paratransit)
- Friend / Family Member
- No Access to Transportation
Dexterity
- Limited Motor Skills (e.g., child)
- Limited Motor Skills (e.g., child)
- Full Dexterity
- Arthritis
- Hand Tremors / Parkinson’s
- Temporary Arm / Hand Injury
- Holding an Object / Child
- Right-handed / Left-handed
Neurodiversity
- Undiagnosed
- Awaiting Testing
- Autism
- ADHD
- DCD / Dyspraxia
- Developmental Language Disorder
- Dyscalculia
- Dyslexia
- Epilepsy
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
- Intellectual Disability
- Mental Health
- Tourette Syndrome
- Brain Injury
Condition
- Depression
- Depression
- Bipolar Disorder
- Postpartum Depression
- Anxiety
- Schizophrenia
- Substance Use
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder
ADA-covered Disabilities
- Deafness
- Blindness
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Epilepsy
- Intellectual Disabilities
- Partial or Completely Missing Limbs
- Mobility Impairments Requiring the Use of a Wheelchair
- Autism
- Cerebral Palsy
- HIV Infection
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Bipolar Disorder
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Schizophrenia
Access
Technology
- More than One Internet-Enabled Device
- Home Computer Only
- Tablet Only
- Smart Phone Only
- Regular Mobile Phone (Not Smart)
- Shared Device with Friend / Family
- Device at Local Library / Community Center
- No Access to Internet Enabled Device
Internet
- High-Speed Access at Home
- Reliable Access at Home
- Unreliable Access at Home
- Limited Access at Location Other than Home
- No Access
Health Insurance
- Private Insurance through Work
- Private Insurance Paid out of Pocket
- Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid program)
- Child Health Plan Plus
- Medicare
- Indian Health Services (IHS)
- Veterans Affairs
- No Insurance
- Coverage
- Limited
- Full
- HMO / PPO
History
Trust in Government
- Complete Trust
- Persuadable
- Skeptical
- Complete Distrust
Support Systems
- SNAP Food Benefits
- Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance
- Unemployment
- Welfare or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Housing Assistance
- Food Assistance
- Transportation Assistance
Justice Involved
- Currently Involved
- Transitioning Out of a Jail
- Transitioning Out of a Correctional Facility
- Involved in the Past as a Youth
- Involved in the Past as an Adult
- Friend / Family Member Involved
Survivor
- Domestic Violence
- Community Violence Victim
- Gender-Based Violence
- Military Trauma
- Natural Disaster
- Physical Abuse or Assault
- Recent Loss of Friend / Family Member
- Serious Accident, Illness, Medical Procedure
- Sexual Abuse
- Trafficking Victim
- Abused as a Child