The Town FilesChinle, Arizona
Community in Apache County · population 4,573 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $39,200
- Household income
- $53,239
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 35.0
Chinle is a community of 4,573 people in Apache County, Arizona. The median home is worth $39,200, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 91% of Arizona towns, easier by car than 80% of Arizona towns, more of a college town than 73% of Arizona towns.
- #3 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Arizona
- #4 in The 50 Most Affordable Small Towns in America
- #4 in The 50 Most Affordable Places in America
- #8 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Cheapest Homes
- #8 in 50 Places in America With the Cheapest Homes
- #8 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Arizona
How Chinle ranks
Percentile among Arizona towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arizona towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chinle is worth $39,200, below the typical Arizona town ($248,600). Homes cost about 0.7 times the median household income of $53,239, which is more affordable than 99% of Arizona towns. Median rent is $565 a month. 47.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chinle | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $39,200 | $248,600 |
| Median rent | $565 | $1,050 |
| Median household income | $53,239 | $60,835 |
| Home value ÷ income | 0.7× | 4.0× |
| Homeownership | 47.5% | 78.6% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1990 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.8% | — |
Who lives in Chinle
| People | Chinle | Typical Arizona town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.0 | 42.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.4% | 21.8% |
| Under 18 | 31.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.5% | 18.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.4% | 13.8% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.3% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 10.2% |
| Average commute | 18.8 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 59.5% | 88.0% |
Weather in Chinle
July highs average 92.9°F and January lows 19.0°F. About 8.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.9 inches of snow (typical Arizona town: 0.2 in). Expect about 72 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Chinle since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Arizona town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on August 3, 2010 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 3, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 27, 2002.
Severe weather in Apache County since 1996
Apache County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2025 | Fire | FM-5584: Greer Fire |
| September 13, 2021 | Flood | DR-4620: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4524: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3442: Covid-19 |
| June 2, 2011 | Fire | FM-2915: Wallow Fire |
Jobs and pay in Apache County
Apache County had 16,611 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,805 a year. Unemployment was 7.9% in 2023; in Chinle itself the ACS puts it at 12%.
Public schools in Chinle
6 public schools with 2,415 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinle High School | 9-12 | 926 | 15.4 |
| Chinle Elementary School | PK-6 | 466 | 15.0 |
| Chinle Junior High School | 7-8 | 395 | 13.6 |
| Mesa View Elementary | PK-6 | 371 | 13.7 |
| Canyon De Chelly Elementary School | PK-6 | 257 | 11.7 |
| NATIVE - Chinle High School | 9-12 | — | — |
Chinle questions
Is Chinle, Arizona a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chinle scores better for retirees than 36% of Arizona towns and quieter than 31%. 11.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.0).
How much does a house cost in Chinle?
The median owner-occupied home in Chinle is valued at $39,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,239, so homes cost about 0.7 times income. Median rent is $565 a month.
What is the weather like in Chinle?
July highs average 92.9°F and January lows 19.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 8.8 inches of precipitation a year and 4.9 inches of snow.
Does Chinle get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Chinle since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on August 3, 2010. The typical Arizona town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)