Abandoned bridge in, 2018
Coaldale’s story
135 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2018 and 3 maps from 1959 on.
- 1891Coaldale is settled
CoaldaleCO
538 people live in this town, settled in 1891.
Population
538
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$383K
Census ACS
Median age
48.1
years
Jobs based here
12
A commuter town
Is Coaldale a good place to live?
8.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Coaldale, below both Colorado’s towns (44%) and U.S. towns (29%). Only one of the 160 Colorado towns we compare has a higher share of households owning their home than Coaldale. 44% of the land in Coaldale is conserved, against 6.9% in Colorado’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. The biggest place to walk is Sangre de Cristo Wilderness, 5,595 acres with 4.3 miles of trail. Coaldale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
538 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
HowardCoaldale
Getting set up
Moving to Coaldale: who provides what
Coaldale is unincorporated, so Fremont County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSangre De Cristo Elec AssnEIAHIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesFremont CountyFremont County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Colorado you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 8 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereFremont County Clerk and RecorderFremont County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes81222, 8122381222 97% · 81223 3%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Coaldale.
Outdoors
Coaldale has set aside nearly a third of its land for conservation
Walkers can cover 32 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. Coaldale’s trail density comes in at 1.0 miles per square mile.
44%conserved
44%
conserved · 8,704 of 19,768 acres
32 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sangre de Cristo Wilderness | 4.3 mi | 5,595 |
| 2. Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area | — | 31 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: very high risk in Coaldale, mostly inland flooding
On expected storm and flood damage, Coaldale sits above 91% of U.S. communities. 69% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by wildfires at 19%.
91risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Coaldale has 0.1 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
For residents in Coaldale, the share who live below the poverty line is 20%. Half the trips to work are shorter than 30 miles. The top destinations are Salida (21%), Cañon City (9%) and Denver (6%).
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In Coaldale0%
Salida21%
Cañon City9%
Denver6%
Colorado Springs4%
30 mi
median commute distance
12
jobs based in Coaldale
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers: that is Coaldale’s year
Its peak summer temperature is 82°F.
37″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–40°
Spring30–58°
Summer49–79°
Fall32–61°
Sep 20
typical first frost
May 29
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Coaldale stands out in Colorado and nationally: a larger share of its adults report frequent physical distress
The share of adults in Coaldale who have been diagnosed with depression: 24%. No town among the 160 in Colorado we compare has a lower share of adults who binge drink than Coaldale. On the CDC’s 26 measures, Coaldale is ahead of Colorado on 5 and behind on 14. Only 3 of the 160 Colorado towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Coaldale.
| Coaldale | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 18% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 12% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 27% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 8.4% | 12% |
26 measures vs. Colorado
5 better7 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Coaldale | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12.5% | 19% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.2% | 69.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.9% | 5.3% |
Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center
19.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Coaldale
15pages on Coaldale
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Coaldale; the nearest are
Adams State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Alamosa61.1 mi$9,824 in-state tuitionCommunity College of AuroraCommunity college · Public · Aurora108.6 mi$4,470 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Coaldale residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Colorado.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Coaldale for work
Where Coaldale’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
12jobs based in Coaldale
0%of working residents work in town
30 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Coaldale
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Coaldale, CO a good place to live?
Coaldale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.