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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Chaffee County

Colorado · 19,476 residents · 1,013.408 sq mi
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The short version

Chaffee County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $55,176. Population has grown 20% since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $387,300. With a median age of 49.3, the population is older than the US median of 38.8. Households here earn about 27% less than the Colorado median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 49.3
US median: 38.8
Average education
36% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 76%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
19,476
+20%since 2000
from 16,242 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
49.3
+18%since 2000
from 41.8 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
12K14K16K19K21K1990201020202024Chaffee County
202420K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 53.7%(716)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.2%(827)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 144.6%(900)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 194.1%(791)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 243.1%(610)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.8%(2,296)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4413.3%(2,585)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.1%(2,361)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6416.4%(3,185)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7417.1%(3,328)
US avg: 10%
75 to 847.3%(1,418)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.4%(459)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$55,176
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,368 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,960
+64%since 2000
from $19,430 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
36.3%
+13.0 ptssince 2009
from 23.2% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
11.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2000
from 11.7% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information10.9%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade10.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services6.2%
US avg: 6.6%
Retail trade6.1%
US avg: 10%
Finance & insurance4.8%
US avg: 5.5%
Public administration4.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Professional, scientific, technical4.4%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.1%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction2%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.8%
US avg: 2%
Transportation & warehousing1.3%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$387,300
+76%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $146,500 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,104
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $517 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
73.9%
+0.5 ptssince 2000
from 73.4% in 2000
26.1% rent
Afford Score
7.0
+25%since 2009
from 5.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Chaffee County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic87.3%(14,174)
Black1.6%(257)
Hispanic / Latino8.6%(1,393)
Asian0.4%(65)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic83.2%(16,195)
Black1.5%(295)
Hispanic / Latino9.5%(1,841)
Asian0.7%(133)
Other2%(386)
Segregation Score
24
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican4.4%(884)
Honduran1%(197)
Spaniard0.8%(168)
Guatemalan0.8%(154)
Puerto Rican0.5%(107)
Nicaraguan0.2%(49)
Costa Rican0.1%(21)
Asian origin
Korean0.6%(127)
Asian Indian0.1%(21)
Chinese0.1%(13)
Japanese0.1%(13)
Vietnamese0.1%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German21.1%(4,206)
English14.1%(2,814)
Irish10.5%(2,103)
Italian7.7%(1,541)
American4.2%(840)
Swedish3.1%(625)
Polish3.1%(624)
Scottish3%(607)
Scotch-Irish2.5%(505)
French2.5%(493)
Norwegian1.8%(357)
Dutch1.6%(329)
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data
Russian1.2%(246)
Slovak1%(198)
British1%(197)
Welsh0.7%(140)
Austrian0.6%(126)
Danish0.6%(112)
Finnish0.5%(100)
Czech0.5%(94)
Slovene0.5%(94)
Hungarian0.4%(77)
Swiss0.4%(74)
Lithuanian0.3%(54)
Arab0.2%(45)
Ukrainian0.2%(38)
Portuguese0.2%(30)
Greek0.1%(29)
Belgian0.1%(24)
Canadian0.1%(19)
Lebanese0.1%(17)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest Italian population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
35.5%
+11.2 ptssince 2000
from 24.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
94.1%
+5.6 ptssince 2000
from 88.5% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
14.2%
+6.2 ptssince 2000
from 8.0% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
18.8 min
+55%since 2000
from 12.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
67.7%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 66.7% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
7.2%
+4.3 ptssince 2009
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.3%
−6.1 ptssince 2011
from 8.3% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
54.4%
−4.4 ptssince 2011
from 58.9% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Management & professional
36.0%
−24.8 ptssince 2009
from 60.8% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
52.8%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 53.6% in 2009
Female
47.2%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 46.4% in 2009
Foreign born
3.8%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
10.9%
−72.1 ptssince 2013
from 83.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married22.6%(2,151)
Married62.9%(5,977)
Widowed2.8%(264)
Divorced11.7%(1,108)
Women 15+
Never married14.3%(1,192)
Married63.8%(5,337)
Widowed8.4%(702)
Divorced13.5%(1,128)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Chaffee County

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Pop 20,932
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Pop 21,367
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Pop 17,439
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Pop 21,273
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Head to head

Compare Chaffee County to nearby counties

CHAFFEE COUNTY VS
Lake County
Income$96,575+75%
Home value$466,100+20%
Population7,552−64%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHAFFEE COUNTY VS
Park County
Income$103,670+88%
Home value$532,100+37%
Population18,314−12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHAFFEE COUNTY VS
Gunnison County
Income$84,527+53%
Home value$621,800+61%
Population17,439−16%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHAFFEE COUNTY VS
Pitkin County
Income$102,645+86%
Home value$1,139,100+194%
Population16,625−20%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Chaffee County, Colorado?

Chaffee County, Colorado has about 19,476 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Chaffee County, Colorado?

The typical household in Chaffee County, Colorado earns about $55,176 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Chaffee County, Colorado expensive?

In Chaffee County, Colorado, the median home is worth about $387,300, and the typical rent is about $1,104 a month.

How educated are people in Chaffee County, Colorado?

About 35.5% of adults age 25 and over in Chaffee County, Colorado hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Chaffee County, Colorado?

About 11.6% of people in Chaffee County, Colorado live below the federal poverty line.

Has Chaffee County, Colorado grown since 1990?

Yes, Chaffee County, Colorado has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,792 residents, a change of about 54 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

6 census tracts
Census Tract 2Census Tract 4.02Census Tract 3Census Tract 4.04Census Tract 4.03Census Tract 1
6 ZIP codes
ZIP 81201ZIP 81211ZIP 81236ZIP 81242ZIP 81227ZIP 81228
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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