Chaffee County, Colorado


Chaffee County is one of the 64 counties of the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2010 census, the population was 17,809. The county seat is Salida.

History

Chaffee County has a confusing origin. Between February 8 and February 10, 1879, Carbonate County was created by the Colorado legislature out of northern Lake County. On February 10 the two counties were renamed, with the southern part of Lake County becoming Chaffee County, and Carbonate County becoming Lake County. Chaffee County is known as the “Heart of the Rockies”. It was named for Jerome B. Chaffee, Colorado's first United States Senator.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

National protected areas

At the 2000 census there were 16,242 people, 6,584 households, and 4,365 families living in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile. There were 8,392 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 90.94% White, 1.58% Black or African American, 1.09% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.21% from other races, and 1.69% from two or more races. 8.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 6,584 households 25.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.70% were non-families. 28.40% of households were one person and 11.20% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.77.
The age distribution was 19.70% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 27.50% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.20 males.
The median household income was $34,368 and the median family income was $42,043. Males had a median income of $30,770 versus $22,219 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,430. About 7.40% of families and 11.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.30% of those under age 18 and 10.20% of those age 65 or over.
Chaffee County is also home to a source of water that Arrowhead water uses for some water bottles. The source is Ruby Mountain Springs.

Politics

YearRepublicanDemocraticOthers
201647.9% 5,39143.5% 4,8888.6% 971
201248.5% 5,07048.6% 5,0862.9% 306
200849.1% 4,87349.0% 4,8621.9% 186
200455.6% 4,87542.9% 3,7661.5% 129
200056.5% 4,30036.4% 2,7687.1% 542
199642.5% 2,76846.9% 3,05210.7% 695
199236.4% 2,28438.5% 2,41925.1% 1,579
198853.9% 3,08044.6% 2,5481.5% 86
198466.3% 3,68032.1% 1,7791.6% 91
198060.7% 3,32728.9% 1,58310.4% 568
197656.7% 2,92540.0% 2,0643.4% 173
197266.6% 2,85931.6% 1,3541.8% 78
196851.1% 2,12140.1% 1,6678.8% 365
196437.4% 1,47662.3% 2,4630.3% 12
196052.1% 2,09447.8% 1,9180.1% 4
195663.7% 2,28436.3% 1,3030.0% 0
195256.7% 2,17142.9% 1,6430.4% 15
194857.7% 2,06541.2% 1,4761.1% 39
194448.8% 1,67550.5% 1,7310.7% 24
194046.9% 1,93352.2% 2,1530.9% 35
193629.2% 1,06966.8% 2,4474.0% 148
193229.2% 1,06166.0% 2,3934.8% 174
192859.5% 1,88038.9% 1,2301.6% 50
192443.4% 1,33619.9% 61236.7% 1,130
192052.9% 1,50143.5% 1,2333.6% 103
191624.6% 86472.5% 2,5462.9% 103
191221.3% 72348.3% 1,64130.4% 1,031

Communities

City