County · code 08015
Chaffee CountyColorado
Chaffee County is a county in Colorado with its seat in Salida, formed in 1879.
- Founded1879
- County seatSalida
- Named forJerome B. Chaffee
- Land area1,013 sq mi + 1.5 sq mi water
- Population19,476 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped17,108 checked 14 October 2026
Where it is
Chaffee on the map of Colorado
Colorado has 64 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1879 from Lake County and Carbonate County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Chaffee County was created from Lake County on February 10, 1879, and was named after Jerome B. Chaffee. On the same day Chaffee was created, Carbonate County, which had been created from Lake County two days earlier, was renamed Lake County.
- 1879Chaffee County created Chaffee created from Lake; Chaffee included all of Lake that remained following the creation of Carbonate (extinct) on 8 February 1879. Carbonate was renamed Lake on this date.from Lakefrom Carbonate· Colo. Laws 1879, 2d sess., p. 48
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Chaffee
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 17,108 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 24 April 2026 · checked 14 October 2026 -
Address points Missing
No public address points layer found for Chaffee County yet.
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Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Chaffee by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Zoning and code
County government
- County government
The official website of Chaffee County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Chaffee County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Chaffee County
- When was Chaffee County founded?
- Chaffee County was founded in 1879, formed from Lake County and Carbonate County, and named after Jerome B. Chaffee.
- What is the county seat of Chaffee County?
- The county seat of Chaffee County is Salida.
- Is there an online parcel map for Chaffee County?
- Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 17,108 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Chaffee County's boundary or name changed?
- Chaffee County was created in 1879 from Lake County and Carbonate County. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records no boundary change since.
- Who issues building permits in Chaffee County?
- The county's page on building permits: Chaffee County Permit Search. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Who issues septic and well permits in Chaffee County?
- The county's page on septic systems and wells: Health department: septic and well.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Chaffee County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby