The Town FilesChaffee, Missouri
City in Scott County · population 3,057 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $117,400
- Household income
- $43,542
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 33
- Median age
- 40.9
Chaffee is a city of 3,057 people in Scott County, Missouri. The median home is worth $117,400, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks easier by car than 77% of Missouri towns, more of a college town than 73% of Missouri towns.
How Chaffee ranks
Percentile among Missouri towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Missouri towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chaffee is worth $117,400, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $43,542, which is more affordable than 54% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $632 a month. 71.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chaffee | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $117,400 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $632 | $855 |
| Median household income | $43,542 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 71.3% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Chaffee
| People | Chaffee | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.5% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.2% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 8.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 73.8% | 88.7% |
Weather in Chaffee
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 26.2°F. About 47.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.2 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 90 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
33 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chaffee since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on March 14, 2025 about 6.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 5 deaths and 32 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 59 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 4, 2012.
Severe weather in Scott County since 1996
Scott County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4929: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| June 9, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4877: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4867: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4872: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 23, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4803: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Scott County
Scott County had 16,179 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,793 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Chaffee itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Chaffee
2 public schools with 611 students, about 11.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHAFFEE ELEM. | PK-6 | 321 | 11.5 |
| CHAFFEE JR.-SR. HIGH | 7-12 | 290 | 11.6 |
Towns near Chaffee
- Scott City, MO7.4 mi · 4,346 people · home $147,500
- Cape Girardeau, MO10.5 mi · 39,540 people · home $196,300
- Jackson, MO13.7 mi · 15,481 people · home $240,000
- Sikeston, MO21.0 mi · 16,291 people · home $168,800
- Charleston, MO25.7 mi · 5,056 people · home $123,700
Chaffee questions
Is Chaffee, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chaffee scores better for retirees than 21% of Missouri towns and quieter than 39%. 17.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.9).
How much does a house cost in Chaffee?
The median owner-occupied home in Chaffee is valued at $117,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $43,542, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $632 a month.
What is the weather like in Chaffee?
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 26.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.9 inches of precipitation a year and 6.2 inches of snow.
Does Chaffee get tornadoes?
33 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chaffee since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on March 14, 2025. The typical Missouri town has had 23.
- 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)