PlainZIP

Palisade, CO · standard

ZIP Code 81526

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

5,321
40/sq mi
$87,500
Median income
$501,800
Median home value
35.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Palisade pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 29%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 13%
home value, US ZIPs
40
people per sq mi
76%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 81526 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 81526 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Palisade, Mesa County, Colorado, home to 5,321 residents across 134.4 square miles, a density of 40 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.

ZIP 81526 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $87,500 (1% below the Colorado average), while per-capita income is $46,264. Local economic indicators show a 10.2% poverty rate alongside 6.7% unemployment. Median home value sits at $501,800 (4% above the state average), median rent at $1,317 a month, and owner-occupancy at 76.4%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 35.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 51.7, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Mesa County, so you can benchmark 81526 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 81526

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Palisade, CO

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 81526.

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 81526, Palisade, 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

5,321

Population

134.4

Area (sq mi)

40

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 81526?

51.7

Median Age

48.1%

Male

51.9%

Female

0.9%

Foreign-Born

White 89.2%
African American 0.1%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.2%
Hispanic or Latino 9.0%

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?

$87,500

Median Household Income

-1% vs state

$46,264

Per Capita Income

10.2%

Poverty Rate

6.7%

Unemployment Rate

26.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 81526 ranks nationally

Palisade, CO household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$87,500 Top 29% higher than 71% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 60.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 35.6%

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

What does housing look like?

2,712

Total Housing Units

2,446

Occupied Units

266

Vacant Units

2.24

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 76.4%
Renter 23.6%

$501,800

Median Home Value

+4% vs state

$1,317

Median Rent

1980

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

+12.9%

YoY Change (2024)

388

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+288%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 81526 have increased 12.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +288% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.5% 232
2021 +16.7% 271
2022 +18.5% 321
2023 +7.0% 343
2024 +12.9% 388

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 153 business establishments in ZIP 81526, employing approximately 1,089 people with a combined annual payroll of $40,982,000.

153

Businesses

1,089

Employees

$41.0M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 26 17.0%
Manufacturing 24 15.7%
Construction 19 12.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 15 9.8%
Accommodation and food services 12 7.8%
Other services (except public administration) 12 7.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 10 6.5%
Transportation and warehousing 7 4.6%
Finance and insurance 7 4.6%
Health care and social assistance 7 4.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 3.3%
Wholesale trade 3 2.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 2.0%

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 81526 vs 81520 →

ZIP 81526 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 81526 ranks #3 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 81526 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 81526 ranks the highest of 3 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
81520 Clifton, CO 13,447 5.3 mi
81503 Grand Junction, CO 15,250 7.0 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
81520 standard
Clifton, CO
Pop: 13,447

Related Areas

Mesa County Palisade, CO Colorado

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 81526 in? ▼
ZIP code 81526 (Palisade) 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 81526? ▼
ZIP code 81526 in Palisade, CO has a population of 5,321 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 81526? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 81526 is $87,500, which is 15% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 81526? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 81526 is $501,800, which is 80% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 81526? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 81526 is White at 89.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 81526? ▼
ZIP code 81526 has 153 business establishments employing approximately 1,089 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 81526? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 81526 are: Retail trade (26), Manufacturing (24), Construction (19). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 81526? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 81526 increased by 12.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 288%. 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 81526? ▼
In ZIP code 81526, 60.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 35.6% 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 81526? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 81526 is 26.6 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 81526? ▼
In ZIP code 81526, approximately 76.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 81526? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 81526 is 10.2% 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.