PlainZIP

Monte Vista, CO · standard

ZIP Code 81144

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

7,344
10/sq mi
$64,662
Median income
$234,200
Median home value
33.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Monte Vista pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

38th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 47%
home value, US ZIPs
10
people per sq mi
68%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 81144 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 81144 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 734.4 square miles in Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, Colorado. The area is home to 7,344 residents, producing a population density of 10 people per square mile, and falls within the Denver time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 81144 against Colorado and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 81144 sits at $64,662 (27% below the Colorado average), while per-capita income is $37,699. The poverty rate stands at 21.9% and the unemployment rate at 13.8%. On housing, the median home value is $234,200 (52% below the state average) with median rent at $941 per month, and 67.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 81144 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 33.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.7, and the average commute is 17 minutes. Use the benchmarks above to see where 81144 sits relative to Colorado and the national baseline rather than viewing the numbers in isolation. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 81144

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 81144.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 81144, Monte Vista, CO · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

7,344

Population

734.4

Area (sq mi)

10

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 81144?

38.7

Median Age

49.2%

Male

50.8%

Female

5.1%

Foreign-Born

White 66.5%
African American 0.7%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 5.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 19.1%
Hispanic or Latino 53.7%

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?

$64,662

Median Household Income

-27% vs state

$37,699

Per Capita Income

21.9%

Poverty Rate

13.8%

Unemployment Rate

17.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 81144 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$64,662 38th percentile higher than 38% 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 63.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 33.8%

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

What does housing look like?

2,973

Total Housing Units

2,779

Occupied Units

194

Vacant Units

2.32

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 67.7%
Renter 32.3%

$234,200

Median Home Value

-52% vs state

$941

Median Rent

1969

Median Year Built

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

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+8.6%

YoY Change (2024)

294

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+194%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 81144 have increased 8.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +194% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +7.6% 180
2021 +12.3% 202
2022 +11.7% 226
2023 +19.9% 271
2024 +8.6% 294

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 214 business establishments in ZIP 81144, employing approximately 1,989 people with a combined annual payroll of $80,376,000.

214

Businesses

1,989

Employees

$80.4M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 30 14.0%
Construction 27 12.6%
Retail trade 22 10.3%
Accommodation and food services 22 10.3%
Health care and social assistance 21 9.8%
Wholesale trade 20 9.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 17 7.9%
Finance and insurance 9 4.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 9 4.2%
Manufacturing 8 3.7%
Information 8 3.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 5 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 2.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 4 1.9%
Transportation and warehousing 3 1.4%

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

More ZIP Codes in Rio Grande County

81132 standard
Del Norte, CO
Pop: 3,231
81154 standard
South Fork, CO
Pop: 1,148

Related Areas

Rio Grande County Monte Vista, CO Colorado

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 81144 in? ▼
ZIP code 81144 (Monte Vista) is located in Rio Grande County, Colorado. Rio Grande County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/rio-grande-co.
What is the population of ZIP code 81144? ▼
ZIP code 81144 in Monte Vista, CO has a population of 7,344 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 81144? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 81144 is $64,662, which is 15% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 81144? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 81144 is $234,200, which is 16% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 81144? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 81144 is White at 66.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 53.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 81144? ▼
ZIP code 81144 has 214 business establishments employing approximately 1,989 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 81144? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 81144 are: Other services (except public administration) (30), Construction (27), Retail trade (22). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 81144? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 81144 increased by 8.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 194%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 81144? ▼
In ZIP code 81144, 63.8% 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 81144? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 81144 is 17.1 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 81144? ▼
In ZIP code 81144, approximately 67.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 32.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 81144? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 81144 is 21.9% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Reading Census Demographics
How to interpret population, income, and education data from the Census Bureau.
Understanding ZIP Code Data
What ZIP codes are, how ZCTAs differ, and what the data reveals.
Best ZIP Codes for Families
Key factors to evaluate when choosing a family-friendly neighborhood.
ZIP Codes for Relocation
Data-driven tips for evaluating ZIP codes before a move.

Official Data Resources for Monte Vista, CO

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

U.S. Census Bureau
Official demographic, economic, and housing data from the American Community Survey.
HUD Fair Market Rents
Department of Housing and Urban Development rental cost estimates by metropolitan area.
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Official crime statistics compiled from law enforcement agencies nationwide.
FHFA House Price Index
Federal Housing Finance Agency home value trends based on repeat sales and appraisals.

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