Vail is home to 5,305 permanent residents, plus another 5,000 part-time residents of vacation properties. Vail enjoys bountiful recreational and cultural opportunities, and also takes pride in a quality of life that provides alpine living at its best. From hiking in the summer to skiing in the winter, there’s always something to do in Vail. Visitors and residents alike enjoy the 1,100 acres of open space accounting for 50% of Vail’s town-owned land; 350,000 surrounding acres of national forest, crowned by 5,289 skiable acres on one of the largest and best ski mountains in the world; 17 miles of recreation paths; countless special events, the highest botanical gardens in the world and an outdoor amphitheater named for Vail’s most famous resident, President Gerald R. Ford. 

Minturn burst to life during Eagle County’s mining boom in the late 1800s and was an essential railroad division point. Located just around the corner from Vail, Minturn is an old and friendly town. A new town center, fire station and other development stand amid historic homes with character and modern amenities. Like Vail, Minturn is surrounded on three sides by White River National Forest, with the Holy Cross Wilderness bordering the southwest side of the town. forcing all development to the Highway 24 corridor. The census of 2020 reported that Minturn had 1,033 people living in 365 households. 

Red Cliff is the oldest town in Eagle County. It was the first County Seat for Summit County, which included the current areas of Summit and Eagle Counties. At 8,650 feet above sea level, Red Cliff boomed at the turn of the century as a mining town with saloons, a bank, sawmills and even an opera house. The town, established in 1879, was mapped and patented in 1883 by the U.S. Government. Today it is a quaint mountain community that continues to attract rugged individualists from business entrepreneurs to outdoor enthusiasts. From Red Cliff, you get close-up views and easy access to the Mount of the Holy Cross and the surrounding White River National Forest. Red Cliff is located off the Colorado Scenic Byway, Highway 24. The census of 2020 reported that Red Cliff had 257 people living in 109 households. 

The Town of Eagle, the county seat, is located west of the center of Eagle County in Eagle River valley. The town limits extend southward along the banks of Brush Creek. U.S. Route 6 passes through the center of town, and Interstate 70 passes through the northern side of town. New has risen next to historic in Eagle from the town hall to a large residential development south of town known as Eagle Ranch.The town has an extensive trail system for mountain biking, hiking and trail running. Eagle is the gateway to the Western Slope of Colorado,characterized by semi-arid climatic conditions. The climate of Eagle is characterized by cold winters, hot summers, and relatively little precipitation. The census of 2020 had the population of Eagle as 7,511. 

Edwards is an unincorporated town, and a census- designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Eagle County. Edwards is in the valley of the Eagle River and extends southwards up the valleys of Lake Creek and Colorow Creek, at the north end of the Sawatch Range. It is bordered to the east by the town of Avon. U.S. Route 6 runs through the center of Edwards on the south side of the Eagle River, while Interstate 70 runs through the area north of the river. The Edwards community is truly a locals’ community, comprising several neighborhoods where residents focus on family, outdoor recreation and enjoying the amenities that are offered. Undeveloped meadows, hillsides, ridge lines, stream corridors and back-country areas enhance the views and are valued natural attributes. The census of 2020 had the population of the Edwards CDP as 11,246. The Edwards Metropolitan District provides services for this area. 

The Town of Avon continues to revere its ranching and agricultural heritage, while growing its reputation as a commercial hub in the heart of the County. Avon sits at the base of the Beaver Creek Ski Resort and along the banks of the Eagle River. Though most of the residential and commercial development in Avon is on the valley floor, several communities ring the town’s upper boundaries. The census of 2020 reported that Avon had 5,561 people living in 1,890 households. 

The Town of Gypsum is situated along the Eagle River and the I-70 corridor. Outdoor activities are very popular including hiking, fishing, camping, biking, skiing, hunting, and off-highway recreation. Gypsum sits at an elevation of 6,300 feet, where a primary economic driver in the region is mining of local gypsum deposits. Residents enjoy affordable family housing in a great mountain valley setting.The census of 2020 had the population of Gypsum as 8,116. 

The Town of Basalt is situated in both Eagle and Pitkin counties. Basalt is located along State Highway 82, and at the confluence of the Frying Pan and Roaring Fork rivers. The town was named for the basaltic rock formation on Basalt Mountain, and began as a railroad town.The town was impacted by the 2018 Lake Christine Fire. The town population was 3,984 at the 2020 census with 2,917 residing in Eagle County and 1,067 residing in Pitkin County. 

El Jebel is a growing residential community near Basalt in the southwestern corner of Eagle County. Its location in the Roaring Fork Valley provides some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Above El Jebel is a large residential area known as Missouri Heights. 

Hundreds more Eagle County residents live in the unincorporated areas of Eagle, Vail, Dotsero, Wolcott and in Colorado River communities such as McCoy, State Bridge, Burns and Bond. Small residential enclaves can also be found in the remote historic mining town of Fulford and near the Ski Cooper Resort on Tennessee Pass.