81242 Zip Code Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for the zip code 81242, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

81242 is a zip code in Chaffee County, Colorado, which covers Salida, with a total population of 1,146 people.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in the 81242 zip code. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in 81242.

The estimated population of people living in 81242 is 1,146, with a median age of 45.4.

We can look back at data from previous years to see how the population in the 81242 area has changed over the last 5 years.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
1,146
+42.18%
+71.30%
2020
806
+73.33%
-
2019
465
 -17.11% -
2018
561
 -16.14% -
2017
669
 - -

Population of 81242 by Race and Ethnicity

How much has the race and ethnicity of the population in the 81242 zip code changed? The US Census Bureau gives us a few defined types that the population is broken down into.

Let's look at the total numbers and also the change over the last 5 years.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
73.7%
80.4%
 -8.33%
Black/African American
0%
0%
 0.00%
Native
0%
0.9%
 -100.00%
Hispanic
20.2%
18.7%
 +8.02%
Asian
0.5%
0%
 0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
5.5%
0%
 0.00%
Other
0%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for anybody studying the 81242 zip for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of 81242 by Age and Gender

We can also monitor the change of the age and gender in the 81242 zip code to track track trends in the population over time.

We can see how the population in 81242 has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 45.4 +1.11% 48.9 +11.39% 44.8 -0.44%
2020 44.9 -15.76% 43.9 -9.48% 45 -16.82%
2019 53.3 +20.59% 48.5 +25.97% 54.1 +10.18%
2018 44.2 +26.65% 38.5 +15.62% 49.1 +34.52%
2017 34.9 - 33.3 - 36.5 -

The median age of the 81242 zip gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population in the 81242 area, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 48 32.03% 33 +184.94% 39 64
10 to 19 28 -107.62% 28 +238.13% 5 68
20 to 29 61 15.01% 68 +173.61% 45 94
30 to 39 65 +35.52% 43 +23.14% 67 45
40 to 49 34 +305.21% 22 +487.24% 102 118
50 to 59 33 +221.75% 37 +188.4% 90 125
60 to 69 31 +173.76% 54 +101.04% 122 117
70+ 39 -56.24% 45 -52.3% 20 25

Median Household Income

The latest median household income for the 81242 zip code is $83,138.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less.

The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for 81242.

  • Under 25
    $0.00
  • 25 to 44
    $0.00
  • 45 to 64
    $83,273.00
  • 65 and over
    $38,036.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in the 81242 zip code, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in 81242, and then dividing that number by the total number of households.

This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of 81242 is currently $77,780.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

1.92% of households in 81242 are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of 81242 against other zip codes.

  • Less than $24,999
    18.77%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    9.58%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    15.52%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    28.74%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    21.65%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3.83%
  • $200,000 or more
    1.92%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in 81242 is $34,619.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of 81242 by the total population of 81242.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people living in the 81242 area, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in 81242 to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    20.04%
  • Bachelor's degree
    34.68%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    25.05%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    20.23%
  • Less than high school diploma
    0.00%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in 81242 that are over the age of 16.

Currently, the total population of the 81242 zip over the age of 16 is 1,006.

Of those people, a total of 73.10% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in 81242 is 73.10%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate. Here's how that breaks down for the 81242 zip code.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 36 100.00% 0.00%
20 to 24 years 76 47.40% 0.00%
25 to 29 years 63 100.00% 0.00%
30 to 34 years 66 100.00% 0.00%
35 to 44 years 179 100.00% 0.00%
45 to 54 years 222 92.80% 0.00%
55 to 59 years 80 91.30% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 129 46.50% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 136 11.80% 0.00%
75 years and over 19 0.00% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in 81242. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau (which we mentioned earlier in this article).

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 882 70.00% 0.00%
Black or African American 0 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 6 0.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 0 0.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 118 100.00% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 206 64.60% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 731 73.70% 0.00%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations for people living in the 81242 area as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in 81242 is 735, with median earnings of $47,067.00.

Women in 81242 are earning approximately 68.10% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 735 $47,067.00
Male 321 $57,750.00
Female 414 $39,318.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings for 81242 even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 76 $65,980.00
Business and Financial 36 $55,921.00
Computer and Mathematical 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 8 $0.00
Legal 61 $0.00
Educational and Library 34 $45,500.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 12 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 15 $183,125.00
Healthcare Support 36 $0.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 70 $59,000.00
Food Preparation and Serving 51 $18,125.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 49 $2,499.00
Personal Care and Service 17 $0.00
Sales 29 $51,250.00
Office and Administrative Support 149 $46,172.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 52 $17,917.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 14 $0.00
Production 5 $0.00
Transportation and Material Moving 21 $50,313.00

Occupations by Gender

Now we can also look at the occupations by category for 81242 when it is broken down by male and female.

This lets us see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings for 81242.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 62 $66,324.00 14 $0.00
Business and Financial 6 $0.00 30 $0.00
Computer and Mathematical 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 0 $0.00 8 $0.00
Legal 0 $0.00 61 $0.00
Educational and Library 12 $0.00 22 $47,000.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 0 $0.00 12 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 3 $0.00 12 $0.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 36 $0.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 57 $0.00 13 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 2 $0.00 49 $9,896.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 39 $0.00 10 $0.00
Personal Care and Service 0 $0.00 17 $0.00
Sales 7 $0.00 22 $0.00
Office and Administrative Support 52 $63,750.00 97 $38,162.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 52 $17,917.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 8 $0.00 6 $0.00
Production 0 $0.00 5 $0.00
Transportation and Material Moving 21 $50,313.00 0 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household is defined by the US Census Bureau as a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 522 households in 81242, with an average household size of 2.2 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 334 families living in the 81242 zip code with an average family size of 2.65 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each, that live in 81242:

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 301 0 33 188
Average Household Size 2.35 0 5.39 1.38
Total Families 301 0 33 0
Average Household Size 2.35 0 5.39 0

Poverty

Of the 334 families living in 81242, 7.20% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in 81242:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 559 housing units in 81242.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 522 93.38%
Vacant 37 6.62%

19.86% of the total 559 housing units in 81242 are rental units. This is approximately 111 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 411 are occupied by the owner - or 73.52% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in 81242 is $932.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in 81242 that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    0
  • Less than $500
    0
  • $500 to $999
    63
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    36
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    12
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in 81242 is $385,100.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in 81242 that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    18
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    2
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    0
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    5
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    63
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    263
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    50
  • $1,000,000 or more
    10

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in 81242. The chart below shows the number of properties in 81242 that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    10
  • 1940 to 1949
    42
  • 1950 to 1959
    39
  • 1960 to 1969
    12
  • 1970 to 1979
    12
  • 1980 to 1989
    62
  • 1990 to 1999
    116
  • 2000 to 2009
    172
  • 2010 to 2013
    94
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in 81242 that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    25
  • 1 vehicle available
    81
  • 2 vehicles available
    279
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    137

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in 81242 get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in 81242 that commute to work in a particular way.

13.2 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in 81242.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    27
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    234
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    230
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    0
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    7
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    55
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    77
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    0
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    22
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    0
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    0
  • 90 or more minutes
    0

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for 81242 in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

States in 81242

If you want to see how the population and demographics of 81242 compare to other zip codes in Colorado, check out the list of all Colorado zip codes below: