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
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 81144 (Monte Vista, CO) rose +8.6% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 271.0 in 2023 to 294.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 81144 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, Colorado, home to 7,344 residents across 734.4 square miles, a density of 10 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.
ZIP 81144 reports a modest median household income of $64,662 (27% below the average Colorado ZIP), while per-capita income is $37,699. Economic pressure is pronounced: 21.9% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 13.8%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $234,200 (52% below the average Colorado ZIP), and median rent is $941; owner occupancy is 67.7%.
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 38.7, and the average commute is 17 minutes. No nearby ZIP peer set is available for this delivery area, so the Colorado and national benchmarks above are the appropriate context for 81144.
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 →
Top industries in ZIP 81144
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Monte Vista, CO
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 81144.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
30 establishments
- Construction
Construction
27 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
22 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
22 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
21 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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
Who lives in ZIP 81144?
38.7
Median Age
49.2%
Male
50.8%
Female
5.1%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$37,699
Per Capita Income
21.9%
Poverty Rate
13.8%
Unemployment Rate
17.1 min
Mean Commute Time
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
2,973housing units
2,973
Total Housing Units
2,779
Occupied Units
194
Vacant Units
2.32
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$234,200
Median Home Value
-52% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 81144, both outside CO so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (7,344 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.