Colorado · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Chaffee County, CO

Prices around Chaffee County, CO run 3.1% above the U.S. average (BEA, Colorado). The typical household there earns $84,132 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,466 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $58,640 a year.

Chaffee County, CO at a glance

Median household income

$84,132$7,011 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,466HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)103.1+3.1% · BEA, Colorado
Electricity17.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential CO
Population20,178Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Chaffee County, CO?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,466Monthly market rent
Share of gross income20.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$58,640To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,103At 30% of $84,132
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Chaffee County, CO? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Chaffee County, CO, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Chaffee County, CO, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,110$13,320$44,40015.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,117$13,404$44,68015.9%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,466$17,592$58,64020.9%
3-Bedroom Home$2,039$24,468$81,56029.1%
4-Bedroom Home$2,298$27,576$91,92032.8%

Rent in Chaffee County, CO, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Chaffee County, CO

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $84,132 a year ($7,011 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,506/moRent ($1,466 2-BR), utilities (~$154/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,103/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,402/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $84,132 leaves after Colorado taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Colorado tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$84,132
$30,000$170,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$84,132
Net 77%
Fed 12%
CO 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$65,023After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,419Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,501Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$9,679 / yr
Colorado state income tax$2,993 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,436 / yr

Living in Chaffee County, CO: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Chaffee County, CO is $84,132 per year (approximately $7,011 per month).

What is the average rent in Chaffee County, CO?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,110 for a studio, $1,117 for one bedroom, $1,466 for two, $2,039 for three and $2,298 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Chaffee County, CO expensive to live in?

Prices there run 3.1% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Colorado is 103.1, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Chaffee County, CO?

To keep a $1,466 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $58,640 a year, or $4,887 a month. That is 70% of what the typical household in Chaffee County, CO earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Chaffee County, CO?

On the local median income of $84,132 ($7,011 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,506 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,103 for everything else and $1,402 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,466 takes 42% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Chaffee County, CO?

Homes in Colorado paid 17.1¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $154. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.