Penrose, CO · standard
ZIP Code 81240
Fremont County, Colorado - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 4,323
- 11/sq mi Low-density area
- $90,417
- Median income Above-median income area
- $341,400
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 34.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Penrose pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 27%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 28%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 11
- people per sq mi
- 81%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 81240 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 81240 (Penrose, CO) rose +14.6% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 260.2 in 2023 to 298.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 81240 covers 386.0 square miles in Penrose, Fremont County, Colorado (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,323 residents on file, a density of 11 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.
ZIP 81240 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $90,417 (2% above the average Colorado ZIP), while per-capita income is $59,442. The poverty rate is 9.6%, with unemployment at 5.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $341,400 (30% below the average Colorado ZIP), and median rent is $1,252; owner occupancy is 81.0%.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 34.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.2, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Fremont County, so 81240 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 81240
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Penrose, CO
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 81240.
- Construction
Construction
21 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
12 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
11 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
10 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
10 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 81240, Penrose, 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
4,323
Population
386.0
Area (sq mi)
11
People / sq mi
Denver
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 81240?
43.2
Median Age
52.5%
Male
47.5%
Female
1.1%
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?
$90,417
Median Household Income
+2% vs state ZIP avg
$59,442
Per Capita Income
9.6%
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Unemployment Rate
26.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 81240 ranks among Colorado ZIPs
Penrose, CO household income vs. every Colorado ZIP code
Median household income among 469 reporting Colorado ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$90,417 Top 42% higher than 58% of 469 Colorado ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Colorado 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
2,004housing units
2,004
Total Housing Units
1,759
Occupied Units
245
Vacant Units
2.72
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$341,400
Median Home Value
-30% vs state ZIP avg
$1,252
Median Rent
1986
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
+14.6%
YoY Change (2024)
298
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+198%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 81240 have increased 14.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +198% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.8% | 184 |
| 2021 | +9.0% | 200 |
| 2022 | +29.9% | 260 |
| 2023 | -0.0% | 260 |
| 2024 | +14.6% | 298 |
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 103 business establishments in ZIP 81240, employing approximately 590 people with a combined annual payroll of $24,800,000.
103
Businesses
590
Employees
$24.8M
Annual Payroll
10
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 21 | 20.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 12 | 11.7% |
| Retail trade | 11 | 10.7% |
| Manufacturing | 10 | 9.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 10 | 9.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 8 | 7.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 7 | 6.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 6 | 5.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 5.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 3 | 2.9% |
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 81240 vs 81221 →
ZIP 81240 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 81240
Penrose (81240)
4,323 residents
- 80926 1,403
Colorado Springs (80926)
1,403 residents
- 81244 398
Rockvale (81244)
398 residents
- 81221 310
Coal Creek (81221)
310 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 81240 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 81240 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 80926
Colorado Springs (80926)
$131,111 median income
- 81240
Penrose (81240)
$90,417 median income
- 81244 $51,250
Rockvale (81244)
$51,250 median income
- 81221 $34,000
Coal Creek (81221)
$34,000 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 81240 ranks #2 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 81240, 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 (4,323 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Fremont County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 81240 in?
ZIP code 81240 (Penrose) is located in Fremont County, Colorado. Fremont County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/fremont-co.
What is the population of ZIP code 81240?
ZIP code 81240 in Penrose, CO has a population of 4,323 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 81240?
The median household income in ZIP 81240 is $90,417, which is 19% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 81240?
The median home value in ZIP 81240 is $341,400, which is 23% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 81240?
The largest racial group in ZIP 81240 is White at 81.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 12.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 81240?
ZIP code 81240 has 103 business establishments employing approximately 590 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 81240?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 81240 are: Construction (21), Other services (except public administration) (12), Retail trade (11). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 81240?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 81240 increased by 14.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 198%. 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 81240?
In ZIP code 81240, 64.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 34.8% 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 81240?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 81240 is 26.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 81240?
In ZIP code 81240, approximately 81.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 19.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 81240?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 81240 is 9.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 81240's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 81240 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Penrose, CO ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.