Colorado State Highway 82, 2015
El Jebel’s story
El Jebel in pictures
Census counts: 2,605 in 1990, 4,130 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 2015 and 2 maps from 1961 on.
Explore the history →El JebelCO
With 2,941 residents, it is a town in Colorado.
Population
2,941
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$912K
Census ACS
Household income
$103K
median
Median age
50.1
years
Jobs based here
635
A commuter town
TownGrade
B
#79 of 158 in CO
Is El Jebel a good place to live?
Health is where it shines: CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 95% of the country. Overall, El Jebel earns a B, which places it 79th of 158 in Colorado. That leaves it better than 60% of U.S. towns. Add walkability to its strengths — it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 98% of U.S. towns. The trade-off is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $912K, 8.8 years of the Edwards area’s $104K median household income. Hazard risk is weaker too (D): FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 86% of U.S. communities, with avalanches at the top. 14% of the land here is conserved, above both Colorado’s towns (6.8%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Its density of trails is 0.3 miles per square mile, below the Colorado town median (1.3) and near the median of U.S. towns (0.4).
Figures: health, CDC PLACES · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index · USGS PAD-US · OpenStreetMap.
What makes El Jebel stand out
Where El Jebel beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
WalkabilityA+
More walkable than 98% of U.S. towns
18% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
26 measures vs. Colorado
3 better23 too close to call0 worse
| Widest gap | El Jebel | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with high blood pressure | 22.4% | 27% |
HealthA+
Beats CO on 3 of 26 CDC measures, trails it on none
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD
Avalanches and inland flooding at the top
FEMA National Risk Index.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave El Jebel for work
Where El Jebel’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
635jobs based in El Jebel
4%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How El Jebel grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Colorado), ordered by how far El Jebel is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for walkability (better than 98% of comparable towns) to D for cost of living (better than 6%), so the B overall blends very different results.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.3 of 20; 4.8% of households have no carA+Open →HealthValley View Hospital Association 15 miles awayA+Open →Cost of livingNear the bottom of the towns comparedDOpen →Hazard riskAvalanches top the listDOpen →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentA−Open →SchoolsBeat 50% of Colorado districts on tests and graduationB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
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 El Jebel: who provides what
El Jebel is unincorporated, so Eagle County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerHoly Cross Electric Assn12.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMid Valley Md water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesEagle CountyEagle 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 hereEagle County Clerk and RecorderEagle County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes81623, 8162181623 98% · 81621 2%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 El Jebel.
El Jebel sends most of its workers to Aspen and beyond, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of Colorado (mostly avalanches) and has homes that cost more against local pay than most of Colorado.
HealthA+
Fewer of El Jebel’s adults have been diagnosed with depression than in the typical Colorado or U.S. town
El Jebel: just over one in ten adults report frequent physical distress. Among adults in the town, 70% had a checkup this year and 20% binge drink.
95%healthier than U.S. townsA+Health Grade
| El Jebel | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 27% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 70% | 71% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 26% | 35% |
26 measures vs. Colorado
3 better23 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | El Jebel | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with high blood pressure | 22.4% | 27% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 4.3% | 5.1% |
Valley View Hospital Association
15 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
71st
percentile among CO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
The biggest natural risk in El Jebel is avalanches, at a very high overall level
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 90% of Colorado towns, with expected losses of about $3,337 per resident a year; that rating is what its D for hazard risk is built on.
Expected losses in El Jebel break down as 65% from avalanches and 32% from inland flooding.
86risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
AvalanchesInland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
Young adults are less common in El Jebel than in Colorado
53% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in El Jebel. Adults 18 to 34 are just over one in ten residents (25% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 50% of residents (39% statewide). Only 9 of the 159 Colorado towns we compare have a higher median age than El Jebel.
50.1median age · CO 37.7
| El Jebel | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.1 years | 38.3 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 53% | 44% | 29% |
El JebelColoradoUnited States
Ages · share of residents
21%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma13%
High school13%
Some college10%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s40%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.9 points. Across Colorado, 49.3% of residents are women.
| El Jebel | CO | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.8% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.9% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 1.6% | 15.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.9% | 14.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 16.9% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 20.9% | 11.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.2% | 9.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.7% | 5.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 12.9% | 7.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 13.1% | 19.7% | 26% |
| Some college | 10.3% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.8% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 40.4% | 28.1% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.5% | 17.6% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,900, single groups can be off by several points
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
El Jebel sends most of its workers out of town
El Jebel has 635 jobs for its 2,165 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out.
In El Jebel, the typical household income is $103,000. Just 4% of the town’s working residents have a job in town. The share of residents in El Jebel who live below the poverty line: 1.5%. The town had 635 jobs in 2023, up 32 from 2013.
4%work in town
| El Jebel | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 1.5% | 8.5% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $103,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.4% | 7.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In El Jebel4%
Aspen28%
Basalt12%
Snowmass Village11%
Glenwood Springs5%
20 mi
median commute distance
635
jobs based in El Jebel
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 98% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
El Jebel has four seasons and pleasant summers
A winter brings about 39 inches of snow, with January nights at 13° and July afternoons at 86°.
39″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–38°
Spring31–59°
Summer49–83°
Fall32–62°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 13
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsA−
In El Jebel, 13.7% of the land is conserved
The biggest park or preserve is Crown Mountain Park, at 121 acres. 1.4 miles of trail wind through 1 park or preserve.
#137for trails in CO
13.7%
conserved · 467 of 3,413 acres
1.4 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Crown Mountain Park | 0.5 mi | 121 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade D
Homes in El Jebel sell for about $1.27M
At 8.8 years of the Edwards area’s $104K median household income, the typical home costs more against local pay than in 87% of Colorado towns; that ratio is one input to its D for cost of living. 71.6% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 52.9% across Colorado.
For households in El Jebel, the share who own their home is 76%.
$1.27Mmedian sale price
3
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 21 attractions →Mount Elbert and 11 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around El Jebel. Close and well known come first.
Big draw40 mi MountainMount Elbert
24 mi MountainMaroon Bells
33 mi Ski areaBeaver Creek242 runs · 4,046 ft vertical
22 mi Ski areaAspen Mountain138 runs · 3,299 ft vertical
14 mi Canyon & gorgeGlenwood Canyon16 mi Ski areaAspen Snowmass107 runs · 4,403 ft verticalSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Mount Elbert: Hogs555 (talk · contribs), CC BY-SA 4.0 · Maroon Bells: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Beaver Creek: Unknown, Public domain · Aspen Mountain: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Glenwood Canyon: White River National Forest U.S. Forest Service, Public domain
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about El Jebel
18pages on El Jebel
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of El Jebel; the nearest are
About 8 of every 100 El Jebel residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Colorado.
About El Jebel
Census-designated place in Colorado, US
El Jebel is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located in and governed by Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Edwards, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area and the Edwards-Rifle, CO Combined Statistical Area. The population of the El Jebel CDP was 4,130 at the United States Census 2020.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 6,483 ft
- Area code
- 970
El Jebel’s neighbors
One town shares a border with El Jebel.
BasaltEl Jebel
How the neighbors grade
El Jebel reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare El Jebel with a neighbor →
Questions about El Jebel
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is El Jebel, CO a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. El Jebel grades B overall, better than 60% of U.S. towns and #79 of 158 in Colorado. It grades A+ for health and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is El Jebel, CO expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $912,000, 72% above the Colorado typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.