# How many people lived in Chaco Canyon at its height? · Great houses of Chaco Canyon > Four answers have been proposed. About 2,000 to 2,300 lived in the canyon from 1050 to 1130, supported in part by imported food. leads, with evidence 2… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon/questions/QST0D9KTSKY2KY5/how-many-people-lived-in-chaco-canyon-at-its-height Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:57:03+00:00 --- **0** # How many people lived in Chaco Canyon at its height? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·4 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: fewer than about 1,000 lived in the canyon year-round; the rest of the capacity was for visitors or storage** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Four answers have been proposed. About 2,000 to 2,300 lived in the canyon from 1050 to 1130, supported in part by imported food. leads, with evidence 2 for: partly supported by its tests. Three are still possible. ## Why it matters Population decides whether Chaco was a town or a provisioned centre, and whether the roads carried food. The estimates have moved repeatedly, and the 2019 and 2025 studies point in opposite directions at different scales⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D9KT8H215DB/prehistoric-chaco-canyon-new-mexico-residential-population)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D9KT9GA76P7/how-many-people-lived-in-the-chaco-regional-system-and-why)⁠[[3]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D9KT98G0NBA/new-research-posits-much-smaller-population-at-what-is-now). ## Answers 4 [**About 2,000 to 2,300 lived in the canyon from 1050 to 1130, supported in part by imported food.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon/answers/ANS0D9KTZFE6RN8/about-2-000-to-2-300-lived-in-the-canyon-from-1050-to-1130) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 2 for Most likely [**Fewer than about 1,000 lived in the canyon year-round; the rest of the capacity was for visitors or storage.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon/answers/ANS0D9KTYR06TY3/fewer-than-about-1-000-lived-in-the-canyon-year-round-the) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 2 for Most likely [**More people lived in the canyon and its region than earlier high estimates allow, in a greener and fertile…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon/answers/ANS0D9KV06W3FW8/more-people-lived-in-the-canyon-and-its-region-than-earlier) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: 1 for Still possible [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon/answers/ANS0D9KV0PG2GQR/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible ## History 1. 2019[Benson & Grimstead puts forward: fewer than about 1,000 lived in the canyon year-round; the rest of the capacity was for visitors or storage.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D9KT8H215DB/prehistoric-chaco-canyon-new-mexico-residential-population) 1. 2019[University of Colorado Boulder puts forward: about 2,000 to 2,300 lived in the canyon from 1050 to 1130, supported in part by imported food.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D9KT90P7RX6/food-may-have-been-scarce-in-chaco-canyon) 1. 2019[Benson & Grimstead: maize from the canyon floor could feed about 1,000 people at most.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D9KT8H215DB/prehistoric-chaco-canyon-new-mexico-residential-population)For: Fewer than about 1,000 lived in the canyon year-round; the rest of the capacity was for visitors or storage. 1. 2019[University of Colorado Boulder: estimates of about 2,300 residents for 1050 to 1130 are the figure Benson and Grimstead tested.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D9KT90P7RX6/food-may-have-been-scarce-in-chaco-canyon)For: About 2,000 to 2,300 lived in the canyon from 1050 to 1130, supported in part by imported food. 1. 2025[Kohler et al. puts forward: more people lived in the canyon and its region than earlier high estimates allow, in a greener and fertile…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D9KT9GA76P7/how-many-people-lived-in-the-chaco-regional-system-and-why) 1. 2025[Kohler et al.: kohler and colleagues argue the Southwest was greener before 1200 and crude birth rates were high, so the…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D9KT9GA76P7/how-many-people-lived-in-the-chaco-regional-system-and-why)For: More people lived in the canyon and its region than earlier high estimates allow, in a greener and fertile… 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/chaco-canyon/questions/QST0D9KTSKY2KY5/how-many-people-lived-in-chaco-canyon-at-its-height%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/chaco-canyon/questions/QST0D9KTSKY2KY5/how-many-people-lived-in-chaco-canyon-at-its-height%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/chaco-canyon/questions/QST0D9KTSKY2KY5/how-many-people-lived-in-chaco-canyon-at-its-height%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/chaco-canyon/questions/QST0D9KTSKY2KY5/how-many-people-lived-in-chaco-canyon-at-its-height%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/chaco-canyon/questions/QST0D9KTSKY2KY5/how-many-people-lived-in-chaco-canyon-at-its-height%23add-source) Where it fits Great houses of Chaco Canyon **How many people lived in Chaco Canyon at its height?** Key question · you're here [ Ask a question under this one ]