Jobs and Housing in Aspen, Colorado

Seasonal Jobs in Aspen

Aspen Skiing Company operates four mountains — Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk, and Snowmass — all on the IKON Pass. Together they employ thousands of seasonal workers. But Aspen's real job market is in the town itself. Aspen has more high-end restaurants, luxury hotels, and upscale retail per capita than almost any town in America, and they all need seasonal staff.

Tips in Aspen are legendary. Servers at top restaurants can earn $300-$500+ per shift during peak season. Bartenders, private chefs, and luxury concierge positions pay exceptionally well. If your goal is to maximize earnings during a ski season, Aspen is the place — but the cost of living demands it.

Housing in Aspen

Housing in Aspen is extraordinarily expensive. The median home price exceeds $5 million, and even rental units are priced for affluent residents and vacationers. Almost no seasonal worker lives alone in Aspen — shared housing and roommates are essential.

The Roaring Fork Valley provides the housing relief valve. Basalt (20 min), Carbondale (30 min), and Glenwood Springs (40 min) are where most seasonal workers live. RFTA (Roaring Fork Transportation Authority) runs free bus service throughout the valley, making car-free commuting practical and common. Employer-provided housing exists but is limited — the Aspen Skiing Company and major hotels offer some units.

Commuter Towns Near Aspen

• Snowmass Village — 10 min. Resort base. Employee housing available through Aspen Skiing Co.
• Basalt — 20 min downvalley. Growing town, RFTA bus. Most popular mid-valley option.
• Carbondale — 30 min downvalley. Artsy, affordable, strong community. Many seasonal workers here.
• Glenwood Springs — 40 min downvalley. Hot springs, cheapest rents, RFTA bus to Aspen.
• El Jebel — 25 min downvalley. Between Basalt and Carbondale. Quiet, mid-priced.
• Woody Creek — 10 min. Rural, quirky (Hunter S. Thompson's old haunt). Limited inventory.

Cost of Living Snapshot

Aspen is the most expensive ski town in Colorado, but it also offers the highest earning potential for service workers. The math can work well if you live downvalley — a shared room in Carbondale for $900-$1,200/month with free bus commute, combined with $4,000-$6,000/month in restaurant earnings, makes Aspen one of the most financially rewarding seasonal destinations. Plan ahead on housing and you can come out ahead.

About Aspen

Aspen, Colorado sits at the end of the Roaring Fork Valley in Pitkin County, about 200 miles west of Denver. Founded as a silver mining camp in 1879, Aspen boomed during the mining era, went bust, and reinvented itself as a ski destination in the 1940s. Today it is one of the most famous ski towns in the world, known equally for its skiing, its cultural institutions (Aspen Music Festival, Aspen Ideas Festival, Food & Wine Classic), and its celebrity residents.

The town has four ski mountains within minutes of each other, a walkable downtown with Victorian architecture, and a year-round cultural calendar that rivals cities ten times its size. For seasonal workers, Aspen represents the pinnacle of the ski town experience — unmatched skiing, extraordinary earning potential, and a social scene that is unlike anything else in the mountains. The trade-off is cost and competition for housing, but for those who plan ahead, it is worth every dollar.