Map the Block › Places › Colorado › Chaffee County
What are the crime rate and median income in Chaffee County, Colorado?
Chaffee County averaged 1.1 reported violent crimes per 1,000 residents a year in 2021-2025, 77% lower than the Colorado rate (4.8). Households here have a median income of $84,132 and the unemployment rate was 4.0% in August 2026. It is home to roughly 20,178 residents.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Chaffee County?
Over 2021-2025, the county's police agencies sent the FBI reports of about 23 violent and 135 property crimes per year. That is 1.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, 77% lower than the Colorado rate (4.8), and 70% lower than the U.S. rate (3.7). For property crime the county rate is 6.5 per 1,000 (Colorado: 28.1; U.S.: 18.1).
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Chaffee County | Per 1,000 | Colorado per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 23 | 1.1 | 4.8 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.00 | 0.05 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 3 | 0.15 | 0.64 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0.00 | 0.65 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 20 | 0.97 | 3.4 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 135 | 6.5 | 28.1 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 25 | 1.2 | 3.6 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 99 | 4.8 | 18.5 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 11 | 0.54 | 5.9 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (3 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Chaffee County?
The median household in Chaffee County earns $84,132 a year, 12% lower than the Colorado median ($95,470). Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $665,700, and the median rent is $1,611 a month. 7.0% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 8.5%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.0% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 407 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Chaffee County | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,178 | 5,862,189 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $84,132 | $95,470 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $665,700 | $539,400 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,611 | $1,761 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 4.8% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 8.3% | 9.4% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 7.0% | 8.5% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 47.0% | 45.7% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 74.1% | 66.2% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 48.7 | 37.7 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 89.7% | 93.5% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 6.5% | 7.7% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Chaffee County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Chaffee County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively Low”. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists 1 active Superfund site (final or proposed) in Chaffee County: Smeltertown Site. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
Chaffee County has 4 dams classed as high hazard in the National Inventory of Dams. None is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory; 3 are rated Satisfactory or Fair. Tallest on the list: Clear Creek (80 ft) and Trout Creek (70 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Disasters, air and water
No federal major disaster declaration covered Chaffee County from 2016 through 2025 (COVID-19 excluded). EPA air monitors logged 5 days in 2024 when the air quality index reached “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse. Of 18 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 1 (highest). NHTSA counted 3 traffic deaths in the county in 2024.
Is there road construction in Chaffee County?
Chaffee County had 7 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (2 active that day). Where crews are working: US 24 and US 50. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Chaffee County?
Federal school lists show 12 public and 2 private schools in the county. 1 nursing home is certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 8 fire or EMS stations and 4 police or sheriff stations. 1 state park or recreation area: Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Chaffee County
Gun shops
4 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Chaffee County, plus 2 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). One of them is a pawnshop licensed to sell guns. On the ATF list: Mountain Pawn & Gun INC (Salida), Murdoch's Ranch & Home Supply #15 (Salida), Salida Gunshop (Salida) and Walmart #921 (Salida).
Liquor stores
10 liquor stores are on the map in Chaffee County: Arlie Dales Jug Liquors (Salida), Buena Vida Wine & Spirits (Buena Vista), Cellar Wine & Spirits (Salida), Centerville Pit Stop (Nathrop), Fire House Liquors (Poncha Springs), High Peaks Liquor (Buena Vista), Little Daisy Liquor (Buena Vista), Party Spirits (Salida) and 2 more.
Planned Parenthood
One Planned Parenthood health center is on the map in Chaffee County: Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood, Inc. (Salida).
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores · Planned Parenthood →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Chaffee County?
Chaffee County averaged 23 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 1.1 per 1,000 residents, 77% lower than the Colorado rate (4.8). The property-crime rate was 6.5 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Chaffee County?
$84,132 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $95,470 for Colorado and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Chaffee County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.0% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 407 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Chaffee County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Chaffee County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively Low”. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”.
Are there Superfund sites in Chaffee County?
EPA lists 1 active Superfund site (final or proposed) in Chaffee County: Smeltertown Site.
Is there road construction in Chaffee County right now?
Chaffee County had 7 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (2 active that day). Where crews are working: US 24 and US 50.
How many nursing homes are in Chaffee County?
1 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Chaffee County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fremont County | 49,634 | 3.2 | $62,664 |
| Gunnison County | 17,241 | 2.3 | $84,527 |
| Lake County | 7,380 | 2.4 | $96,575 |
| Park County | 17,907 | 2.2 | $103,670 |
| Pitkin County | 16,985 | 0.92 | $102,645 |
| Saguache County | 6,580 | 2.3 | $50,082 |
More: Colorado statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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