Buena Vista, CO · standard
ZIP Code 81211
Chaffee County, Colorado - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 7,623
- 6/sq mi
- $88,083
- Median income
- $677,400
- Median home value
- 39.0%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Buena Vista pairs an above-median household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 29%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 7%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 6
- people per sq mi
- 73%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 81211 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 81211 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 1191.1 square miles in Buena Vista, Chaffee County, Colorado. The area is home to 7,623 residents, producing a population density of 6 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 81211 against Colorado and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 81211 sits at $88,083 (1% below the Colorado average), while per-capita income is $45,070. The poverty rate stands at 6.6% and the unemployment rate at 9.9%. On housing, the median home value is $677,400 (40% above the state average) with median rent at $1,849 per month, and 73.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 81211 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 39.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.3, and the average commute is 20 minutes. Use the benchmarks above to see where 81211 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 81211
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 81211.
- Construction
Construction
74 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
52 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
48 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
43 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
38 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 81211, Buena 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
7,623
Population
1191.1
Area (sq mi)
6
People / sq mi
Denver
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 81211?
48.3
Median Age
58.0%
Male
42.0%
Female
3.9%
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?
$88,083
Median Household Income
-1% vs state
$45,070
Per Capita Income
6.6%
Poverty Rate
9.9%
Unemployment Rate
19.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 81211 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$88,083 Top 29% higher than 71% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
4,333
Total Housing Units
3,876
Occupied Units
457
Vacant Units
1.82
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$677,400
Median Home Value
+40% vs state
$1,849
Median Rent
1995
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
+7.5%
YoY Change (2024)
347
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+247%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 81211 have increased 7.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +247% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.9% | 222 |
| 2021 | +13.4% | 251 |
| 2022 | +26.1% | 317 |
| 2023 | +1.9% | 323 |
| 2024 | +7.5% | 347 |
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 401 business establishments in ZIP 81211, employing approximately 2,200 people with a combined annual payroll of $109,506,000.
401
Businesses
2,200
Employees
$109.5M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 74 | 18.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 52 | 13.0% |
| Retail trade | 48 | 12.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 43 | 10.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 38 | 9.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 29 | 7.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 27 | 6.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 23 | 5.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 21 | 5.2% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 11 | 2.7% |
| Manufacturing | 9 | 2.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 7 | 1.8% |
| Information | 6 | 1.5% |
| Educational services | 6 | 1.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 1.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Buena Vista, CO
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.