Median Income
$47,917
household / year
Median Home Value
$113,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$906
gross / month
Cost of Living
91
national avg = 100

Is Chaffee, MO a Good Place to Live?

Chaffee is a small town of 3,037 in Missouri, with a median household income of $47,917 and a 4.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is 9% below the national average.

Strengths: Chaffee stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B+), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Chaffee is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Chaffee city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 91.3

Chaffee's overall cost of living index is 91.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Chaffee costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.

Metric Chaffee, MO National Avg
Median Home Value $113,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $906 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 67.9% 65.9%
Median Household Income $47,917 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Chaffee's violent crime rate is 465.0 per 100,000 residents — 22% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
465.0 /100k
Property Crime
1609.2 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Chaffee is served primarily by CHAFFEE R-II. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Chaffee, MO National Avg
School District CHAFFEE R-II —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 10.8:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 88.1% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Chaffee sees average highs of 43.0°F in January and 89.2°F in July, with 47.9 inches of annual precipitation and 7.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricChaffee, MO
Average High — January43.0°F
Average High — July89.2°F
Annual Precipitation47.9"
Annual Snowfall7.5"

Demographics

MetricChaffee, MONational Avg
Population3,037—
Median Age37.338.9
Unemployment Rate4.4%3.7%
Avg Commute Time22.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)93.7%59.3%
Black or African American2.6%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino0.9%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1830.0%22.2%
65 and over15.2%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Chaffee

Chaffee, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Chaffee vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Chaffee's cost of living index is 91, where 100 is the national average. That makes Chaffee roughly 9% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $113,700 and median rent is $906/month.
Chaffee's violent crime rate is 465.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1609.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Chaffee are operated by CHAFFEE R-II. The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.8:1. 19.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Chaffee, MO has a population of 3,037, a median household income of $47,917, and an unemployment rate of 4.4%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Chaffee averages 43.0°F in January and 89.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 47.9 inches with about 7.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Chaffee, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code: 63740.
The population of Chaffee, Missouri is 3,037 with a median age of 37.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Chaffee: cost of living index 91 (100 = US average), median home $113,700, median household income $47,917, crime index 104 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Chaffee side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.