PlainZIP

Chama, CO · standard

ZIP Code 81126

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

276
6/sq mi
$52,870
Median income
$170,400
Median home value
26.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Chama pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

18th pct
household income, US ZIPs
34th pct
home value, US ZIPs
6
people per sq mi
85%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 81126 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 81126 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Chama, Costilla County, Colorado, home to just 276 residents across 50.2 square miles, a density of 6 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.

ZIP 81126 reports a modest median household income of $52,870 (40% below the Colorado average), while per-capita income is $32,505. Poverty here runs at 10.9%, with unemployment measured at 0.0%. Housing costs here run $170,400 for a typical home value (65% below the state average), with rent averaging - a month; 85.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 26.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40, and the average commute is -. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 additional ZIPs sharing Costilla County, so you can benchmark 81126 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 81126, Chama, 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

276

Population

50.2

Area (sq mi)

6

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 81126?

40.0

Median Age

44.3%

Male

55.7%

Female

4.2%

Foreign-Born

White 4.9%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 15.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 74.5%
Hispanic or Latino 95.5%

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?

$52,870

Median Household Income

-40% vs state

$32,505

Per Capita Income

10.9%

Poverty Rate

0.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 81126 ranks nationally

Chama, CO household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$52,870 18th percentile higher than 18% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 55.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 26.8%

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

What does housing look like?

176

Total Housing Units

140

Occupied Units

36

Vacant Units

3.61

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 85.0%
Renter 15.0%

$170,400

Median Home Value

-65% vs state

1979

Median Year Built

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

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 81126 vs 81152 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
81152 San Luis, CO 1,434 4.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Costilla County

81152 standard
San Luis, CO
Pop: 1,434
81133 standard
Fort Garland, CO
Pop: 840
81123 standard
Blanca, CO
Pop: 805
81138 standard
Jaroso, CO
Pop: 56

Related Areas

Costilla County Chama, CO Colorado

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 81126 in? ▼
ZIP code 81126 (Chama) is located in Costilla County, Colorado. Costilla County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/costilla-co.
What is the population of ZIP code 81126? ▼
ZIP code 81126 in Chama, CO has a population of 276 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 81126? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 81126 is $52,870, which is 31% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 81126? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 81126 is $170,400, which is 39% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 81126? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 81126 is Two or More Ethnicities at 74.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 95.5% of the population.
What is the education level in ZIP code 81126? ▼
In ZIP code 81126, 55.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 26.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 81126? ▼
In ZIP code 81126, approximately 85.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 81126? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 81126 is 10.9% 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.