ZIP Code 81242 — Poncha Springs, CO

About ZIP 81242

ZIP code 81242 serves Poncha Springs in Chaffee, Colorado. It centers near 38.5128°, -106.0772° and, by population, qualifies as a sparsely populated rural ZIP. Roughly 913 people are estimated to live within its boundaries based on the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2018–2022).

The median household earns about $68,826 per year here. The typical owner-occupied home is valued near $396,800, and asking rents on the open market sit around $1,333 per month. Compared to the rest of Colorado, that makes 81242 noticeably pricier than the state average. Looking at the entire state, the average ZIP code reports a median income closer to $57,100 and a median home value of $294,760.

The median resident is around 52.3 years old, and roughly 17.4% of the population holds at least a bachelor's degree.

Cost of living read

If you're considering a move into 81242, the most useful exercise is to compare the housing math against your current ZIP. Here, a typical home runs $396,800 and a typical rental runs $1,333 a month. Translate that into your own budget:

• At a 7% 30-year mortgage with 20% down, financing the median home here lands monthly principal & interest near $2,112 — before property tax, insurance, or HOA dues.
• Renting the median unit at $1,333/mo costs roughly $15,996 per year, or about 23.2% of the local median household income.
• For movers from substantially cheaper or more expensive metros, the home-value gap (+$102,040 versus the state average of $294,760) is often the single biggest line item to plan for.

Who lives here

The age and education profile of a ZIP tells you a lot about what daily life feels like there. With a median age of 52.3 and a population of 913, ZIP 81242 reads as a more mature, established neighborhood with fewer young children.

Geography & nearby ZIPs

This ZIP centers at 38.5128, -106.0772. The eight closest neighboring ZIP codes are listed below — useful if you're scoping out the surrounding area, comparing schools, or just want a feel for the broader neighborhood than this one boundary captures.

How to use this profile

Treat ZipLocal Guide as a starting point — never the final word — when you're researching a relocation. The Census ACS data on this page are reliable medians for the ZIP code tabulation area, but they tell you nothing about which side of the freeway you should live on, which streets the local high schoolers actually walk to school, or how the neighborhood has changed since the 2022 estimate window. For those, walk the area, talk to people on the street, and verify your assumptions with a local agent or community group.

If you find this neighborhood interesting, the easiest next step is to view all ZIPs in Poncha Springs or browse the rest of Colorado.