Cortez, CO · standard
ZIP Code 81321
Montezuma County, Colorado - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 14,459
- 13/sq mi
- $59,506
- Median income
- $289,000
- Median home value
- 26.4%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Cortez pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 28th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 35%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 13
- people per sq mi
- 75%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 81321 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 81321 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 1087.1 square miles in Cortez, Montezuma County, Colorado. The area is home to 14,459 residents, producing a population density of 13 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 81321 against Colorado and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 81321 sits at $59,506 (33% below the Colorado average), while per-capita income is $34,155. The poverty rate stands at 12.4% and the unemployment rate at 3.6%. On housing, the median home value is $289,000 (40% below the state average) with median rent at $969 per month, and 74.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 81321 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 26.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.8, and the average commute is —. Use the benchmarks above to see where 81321 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 81321
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 81321.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
86 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
63 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
62 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
57 establishments
- Construction
Construction
54 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 81321, Cortez, 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
14,459
Population
1087.1
Area (sq mi)
13
People / sq mi
Denver
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 81321?
41.8
Median Age
49.0%
Male
51.0%
Female
2.0%
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?
$59,506
Median Household Income
-33% vs state
$34,155
Per Capita Income
12.4%
Poverty Rate
3.6%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 81321 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$59,506 28th percentile higher than 28% 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?
6,265
Total Housing Units
5,785
Occupied Units
480
Vacant Units
2.42
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$289,000
Median Home Value
-40% vs state
$969
Median Rent
1979
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
+4.8%
YoY Change (2024)
286
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+186%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 81321 have increased 4.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +186% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.7% | 184 |
| 2021 | +14.9% | 212 |
| 2022 | +15.3% | 244 |
| 2023 | +11.9% | 273 |
| 2024 | +4.8% | 286 |
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 519 business establishments in ZIP 81321, employing approximately 4,937 people with a combined annual payroll of $225,045,000.
519
Businesses
4,937
Employees
$225.0M
Annual Payroll
18
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 86 | 16.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 63 | 12.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 62 | 11.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 57 | 11.0% |
| Construction | 54 | 10.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 42 | 8.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 28 | 5.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 23 | 4.4% |
| Finance and insurance | 22 | 4.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 17 | 3.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 15 | 2.9% |
| Manufacturing | 14 | 2.7% |
| Information | 10 | 1.9% |
| Educational services | 8 | 1.5% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 7 | 1.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 1.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 0.6% |
| Utilities | 3 | 0.6% |
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 Cortez, 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.