Cripple Creek, Colorado Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 955, Cripple Creek's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Cripple Creek is a small community located in Colorado, within Teller County. The total population is 955. It ranks as the 230th most populous out of 472 Census-designated places in Colorado.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cripple Creek is 60.0 years. This is 59% higher than the state median of 37.7 years. Only 10.6% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cripple Creek is $41,840. This is 56% lower than the state median of $95,470. It is also 48% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 20.3%. This is 115% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.4%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 9.7%. This is 110% higher than the state rate of 4.6%. The median home value is $285,800. Housing costs are 47% lower than the state median of $539,400. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.8x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 55.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% lower than the state average of 66.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cripple Creek is White (non-Hispanic), making up 76.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.9%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (8.1% vs 3.8%). The Hispanic or Latino population (8.9%) is well below the state average of 22.5%.

Education

21.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 52% lower than the state rate of 45.7%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 98.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Cripple Creek, Colorado is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Colorado state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 472 Census-designated places in Colorado. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.