Chinleuhaul, 2011
Chinle’s story
123 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2011 and 2 maps from 1955 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1903Chinle is settled
ChinleAZ
A town settled in 1903, now home to 4,147 people.
Population
4,147
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$39K
Census ACS
Household income
$53K
median
Median age
35.0
years
Jobs based here
1,309
Balanced
TownGrade
C−
#97 of 139 in AZ
Is Chinle a good place to live?
Cheap to live in, with trade-offs. Its lowest grade is for incomes: the median household income is $53K, and 28% of residents live below the poverty line. With a C− overall, Chinle is better than nearly a quarter of U.S. towns and ranks 97th of 139 in Arizona. Where it does best is cost of living (A+): a typical home costs about $39K, less than a year of the county’s $41K median household income. It also trails on health: CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 94% of the country. Only 8 of Arizona’s 207 towns score lower on the outdoors. The biggest place to walk is Canyon de Chelly National Monument, 958 acres with 1.2 miles of trail. Chinle Franciscan Mission Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Figures: home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · health, CDC PLACES · USGS PAD-US · OpenStreetMap · National Register of Historic Places.
How Chinle grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arizona), ordered by how far Chinle is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for cost of living (better than 96% of comparable towns) to D− for jobs and income (better than 1%), so the C− overall blends very different results.
Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workD−Open →Cost of livingHomes are very affordable for local incomesA+Open →HealthChinle Comprehensive Health Care Facility 5.9 miles awayDOpen →SchoolsWeaker than most of the towns comparedCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.3 of 20; 6.2% of households have no car; 11.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 45% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsGraded on parks, trails and protected landDOpen →History1 place on the National Register; 6 notable people born hereC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Chinle: who provides what
Chinle is unincorporated, so Apache County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerNavajo Tribal Utility Authority16.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterChinle Usd 24 Administration Center water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesApache CountyApache County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Arizona you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereApache County RecorderApache County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code8650386503 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Chinle.
Chinle has poverty well above the Arizona rate, but it has lost a quarter or more of its jobs in ten years.
HealthD
More of Chinle’s adults smoke cigarettes than in the typical Arizona or U.S. town
12% of Chinle adults binge drink, below both the Arizona town median (14%) and the median of U.S. towns (16%). Among 140 Arizona towns, just 2 have a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Chinle. Chinle: 31% of adults get no exercise outside work.
6%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Chinle | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 21% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Arizona
3 better5 too close to call24 worse
| What stands out | Chinle | AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.2% | 8.8% |
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12.3% | 15.3% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 23.2% | 7.2% |
Chinle Comprehensive Health Care Facility
5.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
4th
percentile among AZ towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsC
Chinle’s schools rank behind 68% of Arizona districts
Below: Two of its 8 schools, each with why it was picked. The largest public high school is Chinle High School, with 956 students. Public schools: the Chinle Unified District.
32%of AZ districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinle Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 489 | – |
| Chinle High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 956 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AZ on state tests and graduation
Who lives here
More children than Arizona overall
28.4% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12.5% across Arizona, which weighs on its D− for jobs and income.
Children under 18 are 32% of residents (22% statewide); people 65 and older are 11% of residents (19% statewide). 32% of Chinle residents are under 18, above both Arizona’s towns (21%) and U.S. towns (22%). Also worth knowing: for Chinle, the median age is 35 years. A bachelor’s degree or higher: 29% of adults 25 and older, vs 33% across Arizona.
35median age · AZ 39
| Chinle | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 32% | 21% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 11% | 22% | 18% |
| Median age | 35 years | 41.9 years | 40.5 years |
ChinleArizonaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma14%
High school24%
Some college23%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s16%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.6 points. Across Arizona, 50.1% of residents are women. Among residents 45 to 54, 73% are women (AZ 50%).
| Chinle | AZ | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.3% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 18.4% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.2% | 9.4% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.9% | 13.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 18.4% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.1% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 9.4% | 12% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 6.9% | 10.8% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.5% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 13.9% | 10.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 23.5% | 23.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.6% | 23.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.5% | 9.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 15.9% | 20.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.6% | 13% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,100, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
In Chinle, expect mild winters and hot summers
A winter brings about 5 inches of snow, with January nights at 19° and July afternoons at 93°.
5″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–47°
Spring36–69°
Summer57–91°
Fall38–70°
Oct 8
typical first frost
May 6
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsD
0% of Chinle is conserved land
For Chinle, the trail network density is 0.6 miles per square mile. Walkers can cover 10 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
#100for trails in AZ
0%
conserved · 0 of 10,393 acres
10 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Canyon de Chelly National Monument | 1.2 mi | 958 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Chinle has 1.5 jobs for every working resident, and 1,103 people commute in
Jobs based here fell from 3,010 in 2013 to 1,309. The average commute for its 895 working residents takes 18.8 minutes, against 25.4 across Arizona.
The top destinations are St. Michaels (22%), Phoenix (6%) and Fort Defiance (4%). Jobs based in Chinle fell to 1,309 in 2023, 1,701 fewer than in 2013. 23% of working residents work locally in the town. Among 140 Arizona towns, just 8 have a higher share of residents below the poverty line than Chinle.
23%work in town
| Chinle | Arizona towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 28% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 23% | 10% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $53,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Chinle23%
St. Michaels22%
Phoenix6%
Fort Defiance4%
Many Farms3%
44 mi
median commute distance
1,309
jobs based in Chinle
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 63% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
The biggest natural risk in Chinle is inland flooding, at a moderate overall level
Just over three quarters of Chinle’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by lightning at 18%. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 55% of U.S. communities.
45risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingLightning
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Chinle
17pages on Chinle
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Chinle; the nearest are
Dine CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Tsaile22.5 mi$1,410 in-state tuitionUniversity of New Mexico-Gallup CampusCommunity college · Public · Gallup, NM65.5 mi$2,906 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Chinle residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Arizona.
Famous people from Chinle
6 notable people were born in Chinle.
J
Jeremiah BitsuiAmerican actor · born 2000
R
Robert D. DraperNavajo and Hopi/Laguna artist · 1938–2000T
Timothy BegayNavajo artist · 1921–2006About Chinle
Census-designated place in Arizona, United States
Chinle (Navajo: Chʼíńlį́) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Apache County, Arizona, United States. The name in Navajo means 'flowing out' and is a reference to the location where the water flows out of the Canyon de Chelly. The population was 4,518 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 16 sq mi
- Elevation
- 5,505 ft
- ZIP code
- 86503
- Area code
- 928
Questions about Chinle
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Chinle, AZ a good place to live?
Chinle grades C− overall, better than 23% of U.S. towns and #97 of 139 in Arizona. It grades D for health and C for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Chinle, AZ expensive?
Not for the area. That is 0.9 years of the area's median household income ($41,438 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.
What is Chinle, AZ known for?
6 notable people were born here, including Jeremiah Bitsui and R. C. Gorman.