PlainZIP

Empire, CO · standard

ZIP Code 80438

Clear Creek County, Colorado - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

486
3/sq mi
$67,034
Median income
$355,600
Median home value
33.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Empire pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

42th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 26%
home value, US ZIPs
3
people per sq mi
49%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 80438 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 80438 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Empire, Clear Creek County, Colorado, home to just 486 residents across 142.9 square miles, a density of 3 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.

ZIP 80438 reports a modest median household income of $67,034 (24% below the Colorado average), while per-capita income is $42,880. 8.8% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 4.3%. Median home value sits at $355,600 (27% below the state average), median rent at $1,444 a month, and owner-occupancy at 48.7%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 33.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.8, and the average commute is 24 minutes. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 additional ZIPs sharing Clear Creek County, so you can benchmark 80438 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 80438, Empire, CO · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

486

Population

142.9

Area (sq mi)

3

People / sq mi

Denver

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 80438?

44.8

Median Age

58.0%

Male

42.0%

Female

0.4%

Foreign-Born

White 87.2%
African American 0.6%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.8%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$67,034

Median Household Income

-24% vs state

$42,880

Per Capita Income

8.8%

Poverty Rate

4.3%

Unemployment Rate

24.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 80438 ranks nationally

Empire, CO household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$67,034 42nd percentile higher than 42% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 64.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 33.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

599

Total Housing Units

542

Occupied Units

57

Vacant Units

1.79

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 48.7%
Renter 51.3%

$355,600

Median Home Value

-27% vs state

$1,444

Median Rent

1968

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 15 business establishments in ZIP 80438, employing approximately 502 people with a combined annual payroll of $61,071,000.

15

Businesses

502

Employees

$61.1M

Annual Payroll

2

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Wholesale trade 3 20.0%
Accommodation and food services 3 20.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 80438 vs 80476 →

ZIP 80438 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 80438 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 80438 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 80438 ranks #2 of 5 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
80476 Silver Plume, CO 194 5.4 mi
80482 Winter Park, CO 1,630 9.2 mi
80436 Dumont, CO 565 7.5 mi
80444 Georgetown, CO 1,080 9.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Clear Creek County

80452 standard
Idaho Springs, CO
Pop: 3,097
80444 standard
Georgetown, CO
Pop: 1,080
80436 standard
Dumont, CO
Pop: 565
80476 standard
Silver Plume, CO
Pop: 194

Related Areas

Clear Creek County Empire, CO Colorado

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 80438 in? ▼
ZIP code 80438 (Empire) is located in Clear Creek County, Colorado. Clear Creek County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/clear-creek-co.
What is the population of ZIP code 80438? ▼
ZIP code 80438 in Empire, CO has a population of 486 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 80438? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 80438 is $67,034, which is 12% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 80438? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 80438 is $355,600, which is 28% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 80438? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 80438 is White at 87.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 80438? ▼
ZIP code 80438 has 15 business establishments employing approximately 502 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 80438? ▼
In ZIP code 80438, 64.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 80438? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 80438 is 24.4 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 80438? ▼
In ZIP code 80438, approximately 48.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 51.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 80438? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 80438 is 8.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.