Chaffee County, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chaffee County
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| County of Chaffee | |
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Old Chaffee County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Colorado |
| Established | February 10, 1879 |
| Named for | Jerome B. Chaffee |
| County seat | Salida |
| Largest city | Salida |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,015 sq mi (2,630 km2) |
| • Land | 1,013 sq mi (2,620 km2) |
| • Water | 1.6 sq mi (4 km2) 0.2% |
| Highest elevation | 14,421 ft (4,396 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 19,476 |
| • Density | 19/sq mi (7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Area code | 970 719 |
| FIPS code | 08015 |
| GNIS feature ID | 198123 |
| Website | www.chaffeecounty.org |
Chaffee County is a special place in the state of Colorado, USA. It's known for its beautiful mountains and friendly towns. In 2020, about 19,476 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, is Salida.
Contents
The Story of Chaffee County
Chaffee County was officially created a long time ago, on February 10, 1879. Before that, its history was a bit tricky! For a short time, a place called Carbonate County existed. But then, things changed quickly. The southern part of what was then Lake County became Chaffee County.
This county got its name from Jerome B. Chaffee. He was a very important person in Colorado's history. He was the first person to represent Colorado as a United States Senator. Chaffee County is often called the “Heart of the Rockies” because of its amazing mountain views.
Exploring Chaffee County's Geography
Chaffee County covers a big area, about 1,015 square miles (2,629 square kilometers). Most of this land is solid ground, with only a tiny bit being water, like rivers and lakes.
Neighboring Counties
Chaffee County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Lake County - to the north
- Park County - to the northeast
- Fremont County - to the southeast
- Saguache County - to the south
- Gunnison County - to the west
- Pitkin County - to the northwest
Main Roads and Highways
Getting around Chaffee County is easy with these important roads:
U.S. Highway 24
U.S. Highway 50
U.S. Highway 285
State Highway 291
State Highway 306
Amazing Natural Places
Chaffee County is home to many beautiful natural areas that are protected for everyone to enjoy:
- Browns Canyon National Monument
- Buffalo Peaks Wilderness
- Collegiate Peaks Wilderness
- San Isabel National Forest
Fun Recreation Spots
- Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area is a great place for outdoor activities.
Popular Trails
If you love hiking or exploring, you can find these trails here:
- American Discovery Trail
- Colorado Trail
- Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
Bicycle Routes
Cyclists can enjoy these routes:
- Great Parks Bicycle Route
- Western Express Bicycle Route
People of Chaffee County
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 6,512 | — | |
| 1890 | 6,612 | 1.5% | |
| 1900 | 7,085 | 7.2% | |
| 1910 | 7,622 | 7.6% | |
| 1920 | 7,753 | 1.7% | |
| 1930 | 8,126 | 4.8% | |
| 1940 | 8,109 | −0.2% | |
| 1950 | 7,168 | −11.6% | |
| 1960 | 8,298 | 15.8% | |
| 1970 | 10,162 | 22.5% | |
| 1980 | 13,227 | 30.2% | |
| 1990 | 12,684 | −4.1% | |
| 2000 | 16,242 | 28.1% | |
| 2010 | 17,809 | 9.6% | |
| 2020 | 19,476 | 9.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 20,617 | 15.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020 |
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In 2000, there were 16,242 people living in Chaffee County. They lived in 6,584 households, and 4,365 of those were families. The county had about 16 people per square mile.
Most people in the county were White (90.94%). There were also people who were Black or African American (1.58%), Native American (1.09%), Asian (0.44%), and Pacific Islander (0.05%). About 8.58% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in Chaffee County was 42 years old. About 19.70% of the people were under 18 years old.
The average income for a household was $34,368. For families, it was $42,043. About 11.70% of all the people in the county lived below the poverty line.
Chaffee County is also special because it has a water source called Ruby Mountain Springs. This water is used by Arrowhead water for some of their bottled water.
Towns and Communities
Cities
- Salida is the biggest city and the county seat.
Towns
Other Communities
These are smaller places where people live, sometimes called census-designated places:
Unincorporated Communities
These are small settlements that are not officially part of a city or town:
- Alpine
- Belleview
- Browns Canon
- Centerville
- Cleora
- Futurity
- Granite
- Hamilton
- Newett
- Princeton
- Riverside
- Rockdale
- St. Elmo
- Stonewall
- Turret
Ghost Towns
Some towns in Chaffee County are now "ghost towns," meaning no one lives there anymore:
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Chaffee para niños
