Durango, CO · standard
ZIP Code 81303
La Plata County, Colorado — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 7,743
- 14/sq mi
- $88,103
- Median income
- $597,300
- Median home value
- 37.7%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Durango pairs an above-median household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 29%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 9%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 14
- people per sq mi
- 72%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 81303 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 81303 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 557.1 square miles in Durango, La Plata County, Colorado. The area is home to 7,743 residents, producing a population density of 14 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 81303 against Colorado and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 81303 sits at $88,103 (1% below the Colorado average), while per-capita income is $47,135. The poverty rate stands at 13.1% and the unemployment rate at 3.9%. On housing, the median home value is $597,300 (23% above the state average) with median rent at $1,572 per month, and 72.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 81303 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 37.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.8, and the average commute is 22 minutes. Use the benchmarks above to see where 81303 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 81303
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 81303.
- Construction
Construction
99 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
48 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
43 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 35
Health care and social assistance
35 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 32
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
32 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 81303, Durango, 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
7,743
Population
557.1
Area (sq mi)
14
People / sq mi
Denver
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 81303?
39.8
Median Age
49.6%
Male
50.4%
Female
6.0%
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?
$88,103
Median Household Income
-1% vs state
$47,135
Per Capita Income
13.1%
Poverty Rate
3.9%
Unemployment Rate
21.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 81303 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$88,103 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?
4,422
Total Housing Units
3,974
Occupied Units
448
Vacant Units
2.54
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$597,300
Median Home Value
+23% vs state
$1,572
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
+5.2%
YoY Change (2024)
304
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+204%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 81303 have increased 5.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +204% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.1% | 203 |
| 2021 | +9.9% | 223 |
| 2022 | +14.0% | 254 |
| 2023 | +13.9% | 289 |
| 2024 | +5.2% | 304 |
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 420 business establishments in ZIP 81303, employing approximately 3,988 people with a combined annual payroll of $223,141,000.
420
Businesses
3,988
Employees
$223.1M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 99 | 23.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 48 | 11.4% |
| Retail trade | 43 | 10.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 35 | 8.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 32 | 7.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 29 | 6.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 21 | 5.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 19 | 4.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 18 | 4.3% |
| Manufacturing | 17 | 4.0% |
| Information | 14 | 3.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 14 | 3.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 11 | 2.6% |
| Educational services | 6 | 1.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 1.2% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 4 | 0.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
More ZIP Codes in La Plata County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 81303 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 81303? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 81303? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 81303? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 81303? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 81303? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 81303? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 81303? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 81303? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 81303? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 81303? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 81303? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Durango, 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.