Chaffee County, Colorado
Among the top 12% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 19% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 61% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 50% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 88% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 54% of US counties
- top 1% for park & nature access
- top 2% for property tax rate
- bottom 2% for comfortable days
Chaffee County is a county in Colorado with about 20,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and D for affordability. Standout strengths include park & nature access, property tax rate, and sunny days. It rates lower on air quality and comfortable days.
Official websitechaffeecounty.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
freez.
very cold
cold
cool
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warm
comfortable
cool
v.cold
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82%67%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.3 in0.7 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$66k64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$51kbetter than 19% of US counties
Home Value$515k98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 8% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 14% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.31%better than 98% of US counties
Income Tax4.40%better than 67% of US counties
Sales Tax7.81%better than 40% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.38%better than 52% of US counties
Unemployment6.0%better than 26% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)19°F11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)61°F1st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation12.3 in3rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall44.2 inbetter than 16% of US counties
Sunny Days297 daysbetter than 96% of US counties
Summer Humidity46°Fbetter than 95% of US counties
Comfortable Days24 daysbetter than 2% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk51.1better than 48% of US counties
Air Quality58 AQIbetter than 2% of US counties
School Quality59.1better than 58% of US counties
Violent Crime345/100kbetter than 81% of US counties
Property Crime665/100kbetter than 63% of US counties
Community
Population19,56441st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age47.889th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1937th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0987th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)84.6%57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.1%38th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)10.1%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.0%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.3%46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time18 minbetter than 88% of US counties
Walkability7.6/20better than 83% of US counties
Airport Distance114 mibetter than 41% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access83.4%better than 50% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 99% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Chaffee County an affordable place to live?
- Chaffee County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $51k, better than 19% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Chaffee County?
- The median home value in Chaffee County is $515k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Chaffee County?
- Median household income in Chaffee County is $66k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Chaffee County?
- Median gross rent in Chaffee County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Chaffee County safe?
- Chaffee County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 345/100k (better than 81%). Property crime is 665/100k.
- What is the weather like in Chaffee County?
- Chaffee County averages 61°F in July and 19°F in January, with 12.3 in of annual precipitation and about 297 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Chaffee County?
- Public-school quality in Chaffee County is about average, scoring better than 58% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Chaffee County?
- The average one-way commute in Chaffee County is 18 min.
Other counties in Colorado
Explore Colorado
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)