Chaffee County, Colorado Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Chaffee County, CO Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
B
Health Around average
-
C
Income Below average
-
B
Education Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Chaffee County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,178 | 5,842,429 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 19.9 | 56.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.10% | 1.09% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 45.4 | 35.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 9,863 | 2,364,171 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Chaffee County grew by 19.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 20,178 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Chaffee County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 26.7% of residents. That is 11.5 points above Colorado as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,985 14.8% -7.8 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,200 20.8% -3.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,463 22.1% +2.3 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,388 26.7% +11.5 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Colorado, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 46.6% of the people living in Chaffee County and men 53.4%.
- Women 46.6% Colorado 49.4%
- Men 53.4% Colorado 50.6%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Chaffee County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Chaffee County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Chaffee County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $83,141 | $95,803 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 6.16% | 5.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Chaffee County is about 13% lower than in Colorado.
Housing
| Metric | Chaffee County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $667,525 | $484,034 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,611 | $1,761 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.1% | 66.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Chaffee County is about 34.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,611 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Chaffee County spend about 23 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 96 hours, about 4.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Chaffee County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 11.5 | 22.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 23.0 | 44.1 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 96 | 184 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $2,970 | $5,694 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 24.5% | 21.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,469 | 8,183 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 543 | 1,277 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Colorado:
Hinsdale County (6.6 min), Prowers County (7.6 min), Cheyenne County (7.7 min).
Slowest:
Park County (42.5 min), Elbert County (41.5 min), Teller County (31.3 min).
The average commute time in Chaffee County is 11 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Colorado.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Chaffee County has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Chaffee County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.3% | 40.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 1.90 | 2.42 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Colorado:
Boulder County (0.5), Douglas County (0.4), Broomfield County (0.4).
Lowest:
Crowley County (0.2), Bent County (0.2), Lincoln County (0.2).
Health
Chaffee County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Chaffee County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.0 | 80.0 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.2% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 15.0% | 16.1% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Colorado:
Douglas County (0.9), Boulder County (0.8), Broomfield County (0.8).
Lowest:
Costilla County (0.8), Otero County (0.8), Bent County (0.8).
Chaffee County, CO Compared With Nearby Counties
How Chaffee County, CO compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chaffee County, CO | 20,178 | $83,141 #1/2 | $667,525 #1/2 | 11.5 min #1/2 |
| Fremont County, CO | 49,630 | $63,374 | $182,197 | 16.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Chaffee County, Colorado.
What is the population of Chaffee County, Colorado?
About 20,178 people live in Chaffee County, Colorado, in 9,863 households of 1.9 people on average. The median age is 45.4, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 8 years.
How densely populated is Chaffee County, Colorado?
Averaged over its land area, Chaffee County, Colorado has 20 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 23% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Chaffee County, Colorado?
The median home costs 8.0 times the median household income ($667,525 against $83,141), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,611 a month takes about 23% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
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