PlainZIP

Clifton, CO · standard

ZIP Code 81520

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

13,447
251/sq mi
$50,283
Median income
$249,600
Median home value
14.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Clifton pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

15th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 43%
home value, US ZIPs
251
people per sq mi
67%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 81520 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 81520 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 53.5 square miles in Clifton, Mesa County, Colorado. The area is home to 13,447 residents, producing a population density of 251 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 81520 against Colorado and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 81520 sits at $50,283 (43% below the Colorado average), while per-capita income is $27,088. The poverty rate stands at 20.9% and the unemployment rate at 8.3%. On housing, the median home value is $249,600 (48% below the state average) with median rent at $1,026 per month, and 67.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 81520 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 14.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.4, and the average commute is —. We also surface 6 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Mesa County, so you can benchmark 81520 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. 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 81520

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 81520.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 81520, Clifton, 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

13,447

Population

53.5

Area (sq mi)

251

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 81520?

38.4

Median Age

49.0%

Male

51.0%

Female

6.4%

Foreign-Born

White 80.5%
African American 0.7%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.1%
Hispanic or Latino 21.2%

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?

$50,283

Median Household Income

-43% vs state

$27,088

Per Capita Income

20.9%

Poverty Rate

8.3%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 81520 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$50,283 15th percentile higher than 15% 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 48.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.0%

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

What does housing look like?

5,428

Total Housing Units

5,291

Occupied Units

137

Vacant Units

2.42

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 67.3%
Renter 32.7%

$249,600

Median Home Value

-48% vs state

$1,026

Median Rent

1984

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

+1.6%

YoY Change (2024)

294

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+194%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 81520 have increased 1.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +194% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.0% 200
2021 +16.9% 234
2022 +13.6% 266
2023 +8.8% 290
2024 +1.6% 294

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 172 business establishments in ZIP 81520, employing approximately 1,545 people with a combined annual payroll of $52,494,000.

172

Businesses

1,545

Employees

$52.5M

Annual Payroll

12

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 39 22.7%
Accommodation and food services 29 16.9%
Retail trade 25 14.5%
Other services (except public administration) 18 10.5%
Health care and social assistance 13 7.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 9 5.2%
Finance and insurance 8 4.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 7 4.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 7 4.1%
Transportation and warehousing 6 3.5%
Wholesale trade 4 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 1.7%

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 81520 vs 81503 →

ZIP 81520 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 81520 ranks #4 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 81520 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 81520 ranks #7 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
81503 Grand Junction, CO 15,250 5.5 mi
81504 Grand Junction, CO 28,481 3.8 mi
81506 Grand Junction, CO 10,961 5.3 mi
81526 Palisade, CO 5,321 5.3 mi
81501 Grand Junction, CO 23,465 6.6 mi
81505 Grand Junction, CO 9,779 9.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Mesa County

81504 standard
Grand Junction, CO
Pop: 28,481
81501 standard
Grand Junction, CO
Pop: 23,465
81521 standard
Fruita, CO
Pop: 15,397
81503 standard
Grand Junction, CO
Pop: 15,250
81507 standard
Grand Junction, CO
Pop: 15,081
81506 standard
Grand Junction, CO
Pop: 10,961

Related Areas

Mesa County Clifton, CO Colorado

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 81520 in? ▼
ZIP code 81520 (Clifton) 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 81520? ▼
ZIP code 81520 in Clifton, CO has a population of 13,447 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 81520? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 81520 is $50,283, which is 34% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 81520? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 81520 is $249,600, which is 10% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 81520? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 81520 is White at 80.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 21.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 81520? ▼
ZIP code 81520 has 172 business establishments employing approximately 1,545 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 81520? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 81520 are: Construction (39), Accommodation and food services (29), Retail trade (25). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 81520? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 81520 increased by 1.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 194%. 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 81520? ▼
In ZIP code 81520, 48.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.0% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 81520? ▼
In ZIP code 81520, approximately 67.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 32.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 81520? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 81520 is 20.9% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Reading Census Demographics
How to interpret population, income, and education data from the Census Bureau.
Understanding ZIP Code Data
What ZIP codes are, how ZCTAs differ, and what the data reveals.
Best ZIP Codes for Families
Key factors to evaluate when choosing a family-friendly neighborhood.
ZIP Codes for Relocation
Data-driven tips for evaluating ZIP codes before a move.

Official Data Resources for Clifton, CO

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

U.S. Census Bureau
Official demographic, economic, and housing data from the American Community Survey.
HUD Fair Market Rents
Department of Housing and Urban Development rental cost estimates by metropolitan area.
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Official crime statistics compiled from law enforcement agencies nationwide.
FHFA House Price Index
Federal Housing Finance Agency home value trends based on repeat sales and appraisals.

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