PlainZIP

Grand Junction, CO · standard

ZIP Code 81501

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

23,465
1,140/sq mi
$53,666
Median income
$314,700
Median home value
27.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Grand Junction pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

19th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 31%
home value, US ZIPs
1,140
people per sq mi
47%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 81501 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 81501 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Grand Junction, Mesa County, Colorado, with 23,465 residents across 20.6 square miles, a density of 1,140 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.

ZIP 81501 reports a modest median household income of $53,666 (39% below the Colorado average), while per-capita income is $34,037. 17.9% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 7.5%. On housing, the median home value is $314,700 (35% below the state average) with median rent at $1,035 per month, and 46.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 27.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.2, and the average commute is 15 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 6 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 81501, plus 6 more within Mesa County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

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 81501

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Grand Junction, CO

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 81501.

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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 81501, Grand Junction, 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

23,465

Population

20.6

Area (sq mi)

1,140

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 81501?

36.2

Median Age

53.6%

Male

46.4%

Female

5.3%

Foreign-Born

White 81.6%
African American 1.2%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.7%
Hispanic or Latino 17.4%

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?

$53,666

Median Household Income

-39% vs state

$34,037

Per Capita Income

17.9%

Poverty Rate

7.5%

Unemployment Rate

14.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 81501 ranks nationally

Grand Junction, CO household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$53,666 19th percentile higher than 19% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $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 58.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 27.8%

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

What does housing look like?

11,461

Total Housing Units

10,906

Occupied Units

555

Vacant Units

1.89

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 46.8%
Renter 53.2%

$314,700

Median Home Value

-35% vs state

$1,035

Median Rent

1971

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

+3.8%

YoY Change (2024)

338

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+238%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 81501 have increased 3.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +238% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.5% 228
2021 +16.7% 266
2022 +17.2% 311
2023 +4.4% 325
2024 +3.8% 338

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 1,375 business establishments in ZIP 81501, employing approximately 20,085 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,138,241,000.

1,375

Businesses

20,085

Employees

$1.1B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 216 15.7%
Retail trade 190 13.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 162 11.8%
Other services (except public administration) 149 10.8%
Accommodation and food services 119 8.7%
Finance and insurance 99 7.2%
Construction 89 6.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 89 6.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 63 4.6%
Wholesale trade 58 4.2%
Manufacturing 39 2.8%
Information 27 2.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 25 1.8%
Transportation and warehousing 24 1.8%
Educational services 11 0.8%
Management of companies and enterprises 8 0.6%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 5 0.4%

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 81501 vs 81506 →

ZIP 81501 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 81501 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 81501 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 81501 ranks #6 of 7 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
81506 Grand Junction, CO 10,961 3.1 mi
81504 Grand Junction, CO 28,481 3.0 mi
81505 Grand Junction, CO 9,779 7.8 mi
81507 Grand Junction, CO 15,081 6.0 mi
81520 Clifton, CO 13,447 6.6 mi
81503 Grand Junction, CO 15,250 6.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Mesa County

81504 standard
Grand Junction, CO
Pop: 28,481
81521 standard
Fruita, CO
Pop: 15,397
81503 standard
Grand Junction, CO
Pop: 15,250
81507 standard
Grand Junction, CO
Pop: 15,081
81520 standard
Clifton, CO
Pop: 13,447
81506 standard
Grand Junction, CO
Pop: 10,961

Related Areas

Mesa County Grand Junction, CO Colorado

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 81501 in? ▼
ZIP code 81501 (Grand Junction) is located in Mesa County, Colorado. Mesa County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mesa-co.
What is the population of ZIP code 81501? ▼
ZIP code 81501 in Grand Junction, CO has a population of 23,465 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 81501? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 81501 is $53,666, which is 30% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 81501? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 81501 is $314,700, which is 13% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 81501? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 81501 is White at 81.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 17.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 81501? ▼
ZIP code 81501 has 1,375 business establishments employing approximately 20,085 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 81501? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 81501 are: Health care and social assistance (216), Retail trade (190), Professional, scientific, and technical services (162). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 81501? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 81501 increased by 3.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 238%. 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 81501? ▼
In ZIP code 81501, 58.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 27.8% 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 81501? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 81501 is 14.7 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 81501? ▼
In ZIP code 81501, approximately 46.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 53.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 81501? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 81501 is 17.9% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.