Salida, CO · standard

ZIP Code 81201

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

8,645
8/sq mi
$80,248
Median income
$674,000
Median home value
51.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Salida pairs an above-median household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 38%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 7%
home value, US ZIPs
8
people per sq mi
70%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 81201 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 81201 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 1152.7 square miles in Salida, Chaffee County, Colorado. The area is home to 8,645 residents, producing a population density of 8 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 81201 against Colorado and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 81201 sits at $80,248 (10% below the Colorado average), while per-capita income is $51,183. The poverty rate stands at 11.5% and the unemployment rate at 1.0%. On housing, the median home value is $674,000 (39% above the state average) with median rent at $1,459 per month, and 69.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 81201 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 51.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.8, and the average commute is . We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 additional ZIPs sharing Chaffee County, so you can benchmark 81201 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. 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 81201

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 81201.

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 81201, Salida, 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

8,645

Population

1152.7

Area (sq mi)

8

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 81201?

47.8

Median Age

49.3%

Male

50.7%

Female

1.6%

Foreign-Born

White 86.6%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.6%
Hispanic or Latino 10.7%

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?

$80,248

Median Household Income

-10% vs state

$51,183

Per Capita Income

11.5%

Poverty Rate

1.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 81201 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$80,248 Top 38% higher than 62% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 70.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 51.8%

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

What does housing look like?

5,321

Total Housing Units

4,712

Occupied Units

609

Vacant Units

1.94

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 69.5%
Renter 30.5%

$674,000

Median Home Value

+39% vs state

$1,459

Median Rent

1988

Median Year Built

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

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

+8.4%

YoY Change (2024)

426

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+326%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 81201 have increased 8.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +326% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.1% 258
2021 +15.3% 298
2022 +22.7% 365
2023 +7.6% 393
2024 +8.4% 426

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 595 business establishments in ZIP 81201, employing approximately 4,706 people with a combined annual payroll of $238,224,000.

595

Businesses

4,706

Employees

$238.2M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 99 16.6%
Construction 90 15.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 67 11.3%
Accommodation and food services 63 10.6%
Health care and social assistance 60 10.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 50 8.4%
Other services (except public administration) 48 8.1%
Manufacturing 23 3.9%
Finance and insurance 22 3.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 17 2.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 14 2.4%
Information 13 2.2%
Wholesale trade 9 1.5%
Educational services 9 1.5%
Transportation and warehousing 5 0.8%

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 81201 vs 81242 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
81242 Poncha Springs, CO 606 3.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Chaffee County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 81201 in?
ZIP code 81201 (Salida) is located in Chaffee County, Colorado. Chaffee County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/chaffee-co.
What is the population of ZIP code 81201?
ZIP code 81201 in Salida, CO has a population of 8,645 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 81201?
The median household income in ZIP 81201 is $80,248, which is 5% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 81201?
The median home value in ZIP 81201 is $674,000, which is 142% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 81201?
The largest racial group in ZIP 81201 is White at 86.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 81201?
ZIP code 81201 has 595 business establishments employing approximately 4,706 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 81201?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 81201 are: Retail trade (99), Construction (90), Professional, scientific, and technical services (67). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 81201?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 81201 increased by 8.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 326%. 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 81201?
In ZIP code 81201, 70.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 51.8% 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 81201?
In ZIP code 81201, approximately 69.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 30.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 81201?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 81201 is 11.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Salida, CO

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