Each summer, campers arrive at Cheley from communities across the United States and around the world. In 2026, our Summer Camp families represented 42 states + Washington, DC and 13 countries, bringing together campers from big cities, small towns, and places thousands of miles from Colorado. Here’s a closer look at where our 2026 campers came from.
Campers by State
This summer, Cheley welcomed campers from 43 jurisdictions. Colorado and Texas continued to have the largest representation, followed by families from across the country. Our top states were:
| State | Number of Families |
|---|---|
| Colorado | 253 |
| Texas | 154 |
| California | 41 |
| Illinois | 19 |
| Missouri | 17 |
| Arizona | 16 |
| New York | 14 |
| Florida | 14 |
| Kansas | 13 |
| Oklahoma | 11 |
| New Mexico | 10 |
This year, we did not have Summer Camp families from Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, and West Virginia. We did, however, have staff representation from 35 states, including Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, and North Dakota. We hope 2027 brings new campers (and staff) from these regions!
International Families
Cheley’s reach doesn’t stop at U.S. borders. Our 2026 community also included 33 international families from 13 countries — including Australia, Chile, Ecuador, France, Germany, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and U.S. Diplomatic families abroad. Some traveled across an ocean to get to camp; others crossed an international border or arrived from a U.S. diplomatic post abroad. Once at Cheley, those distances become much less important as campers settle into the routines, relationships, and shared experiences of a term together.
Top 10 Cities Represented
Looking at individual cities gives another view of where Cheley families are concentrated. Colorado and Texas communities continue to make up much of the list.
| City | Number of Families |
|---|---|
| Denver, CO | 52 |
| Dallas, TX | 45 |
| Boulder, CO | 37 |
| Austin, TX | 35 |
| Houston, TX | 30 |
| Fort Worth, TX | 19 |
| Fort Collins, CO | 15 |
| Englewood, CO | 13 |
| Chicago, IL | 8 |
| St. Louis, MO | 8 |
| Louisville, CO | 8 |
| Littleton, CO | 8 |
Major Metro Areas
City limits only tell part of the story. When we group nearby communities into larger metropolitan areas, we get a better sense of where clusters of Cheley families live. These larger Cheley communities can make camp connections easier to continue throughout the year, whether campers discover a camp friend lives nearby or families connect with others in their area. Cheley families also came from a number of smaller metro-area groups.
More than ten families
| Metro Area | Number of Families |
|---|---|
| Denver metropolitan area | 191 |
| DFW (Dallas–Fort Worth) | 71 |
| Greater Austin | 39 |
| Greater Houston | 34 |
| San Francisco Bay Area | 24 |
| Fort Collins metropolitan area | 21 |
| TriState area (NY/NJ/CT) | 19 |
| Arizona Sun Corridor | 16 |
| Chicagoland | 14 |
| Greater St. Louis | 14 |
| Kansas city metropolitan area | 12 |
Between four and ten families
| Metro Area | Number of Families |
|---|---|
| Colorado Springs metropolitan area | 9 |
| DMV (DC/Maryland/Virginia) | 8 |
| Greater Boston | 6 |
| Oklahoma City metropolitan area | 6 |
| New Orleans metropolitan area | 5 |
| San Diego metropolitan area | 5 |
| Salt Lake City area | 4 |
Regional Representation
Zooming out further shows how our U.S. campers were distributed across the four major Census regions. The West and South accounted for 84.4% of our U.S. campers this summer, while families from the Midwest and Northeast added representation from communities across those regions.
Breaking those four regions into the nine U.S. Census divisions gives an even more detailed picture. Colorado’s large camper population makes the Mountain division our strongest (42.9%), while Texas contributes significantly to the West South Central division (26.2%). Beyond those two areas, the distribution shows just how many different parts of the country are represented within the Cheley community.
By Regions
| Region | Number of Families |
|---|---|
| West | 345 |
| South | 223 |
| Midwest | 73 |
| Northeast | 32 |
By Divisions
| Division | Number of Families |
|---|---|
| Mountain | 289 |
| West South Central | 176 |
| Pacific | 56 |
| West North Central | 41 |
| South Atlantic | 38 |
| East North Central | 32 |
| Middle Atlantic | 20 |
| New England | 12 |
| East South Central | 9 |
Looking at where campers come from is a fun way to see the geographic reach of Cheley, but those hometowns are only the starting point. During a term at camp, campers from different states, regions, and countries live alongside one another, share responsibilities, try new activities, and build friendships with people they may never have met at home.
We’re grateful to the families who made the journey to Cheley in 2026, whether that journey began nearby in Colorado or thousands of miles away. We look forward to seeing where our campers come from next summer!
Disclaimer: These numbers reflect families enrolled in our 27-day Summer Camp program, not Quarter B-4 or Family Camp. For privacy, the map displays camper locations by ZIP code only. Pin markers represent general areas, not exact home addresses.
