81326 ZIP Code — Hesperus, CO

La Plata County, Colorado

ZIP code 81326 is located in Hesperus, Colorado, within La Plata County. It covers approximately 411.07 square miles and serves a population of 2,611 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 970.

About ZIP code 81326

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $483,300. Owner-occupancy is high at 89%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $79,500. The poverty rate of 6% is below the national average. 51% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 34 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 39% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Overall, ZIP code 81326 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

2,611

population

411.07

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

81326 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 81326

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 81326. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Hesperus	Acceptable
Hesperus	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

81328 Mancos (12.8 mi) 81303 Durango (14.4 mi) 87418 La Plata (18.7 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	2,611
Population density	6 / sq mi
State FIPS	08
County FIPS	067

Geography
Land area	411.07 sq mi
Water area	2.45 sq mi
Latitude	37.2032
Longitude	-108.1289
Timezone	Mountain (MT)
Area code	970

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 06/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	52.5%	37.0%	32.5%
$50k – $100k	25.9%	30.2%	31.0%
$100k – $200k	16.0%	25.6%	26.9%
Over $200k	5.5%	7.2%	9.6%

Demographics & statistics

2,611

Population

People per sq mi

51.9

Median age

$79,500

Median household income

$44,385

Per capita income

$483,300

Median home value

$1,188

Median monthly rent

88.5%

Home ownership

5.9%

Poverty rate

2.4%

Unemployment

1,228

Housing units

39.0%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

151

35–44

168

187

45–54

207

55–59

103

101

60–64

112

296

65–74

328

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	415	15.9%
18 and over	2,196	84.1%
65 and over	760	29.1%
Median age	51.9 years

Race & ethnicity

White 84.7%

American Indian / Alaska Native 6.4%

Two or more races 3.8%

Hispanic or Latino 3.4%

Other race 1.3%

Asian 0.4%

Group	Count	%
White	2,289	84.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	172	6.4%
Two or more races	104	3.8%
Hispanic or Latino	92	3.4%
Other race	34	1.3%
Asian	11	0.4%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	52.5%	37.0%	32.5%
$50k – $100k	25.9%	30.2%	31.0%
$100k – $200k	16.0%	25.6%	26.9%
Over $200k	5.5%	7.2%	9.6%

Under $10k 2.4%

$10k–$15k 3.3%

$15k–$25k 5.0%

$25k–$35k 17.2%

$35k–$50k 7.8%

$50k–$75k 13.4%

$75k–$100k 16.5%

$100k–$150k 13.6%

$150k–$200k 9.8%

$200k+ 11.1%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	2.4%
$10k–$15k	3.3%
$15k–$25k	5.0%
$25k–$35k	17.2%
$35k–$50k	7.8%
$50k–$75k	13.4%
$75k–$100k	16.5%
$100k–$150k	13.6%
$150k–$200k	9.8%
$200k+	11.1%
Median income	$79,500

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 5.2%

$50k–$100k 1.9%

$100k–$150k 1.7%

$150k–$200k 2.8%

$200k–$300k 14.5%

$300k–$500k 25.9%

$500k–$1M 28.6%

$1M+ 19.4%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$483,300
Median rent / month	$1,188
Owner occupied	88.5%
Renter occupied	11.5%
Vacant	21.7%
Single-family detached	81.2%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	18.2%
Median rooms	5.7
Avg household size (owned)	2.47

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	14.2%
2000–2009	17.5%
1990–1999	26.0%
1980–1989	17.7%
1970–1979	6.9%
1960–1969	2.2%
1950–1959	4.7%
1940–1949	2.1%
1939 or earlier	8.6%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.7%
1 bedroom	6.2%
2 bedrooms	24.2%
3 bedrooms	49.1%
4 bedrooms	16.6%
5+ bedrooms	3.1%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	1.5%
1 vehicle	28.1%
2 vehicles	34.0%
3 or more	36.4%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	6.0%
Electricity	18.2%
Propane / LP gas	49.1%
Fuel oil	1.5%
Wood	20.9%
Solar	1.5%
No fuel used	0.9%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	757	71.7%
Cohabiting couple	21	2.0%
Male householder, no spouse	147	13.9%
Female householder, no spouse	131	12.4%
Households with children under 18	203	19.2%
Households with seniors (65+)	509	48.2%
Average household size	2.47

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	18.2%	17.8%
Married	67.8%	68.6%
Separated	2.5%	0.8%
Widowed	2.9%	3.5%
Divorced	8.7%	9.3%

Education

Less than 9th grade 1.6%

Some HS, no diploma 4.1%

HS graduate 21.2%

Some college, no degree 26.2%

Associate's degree 7.9%

Bachelor's degree 27.7%

Graduate / professional 11.3%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	94.4%
Bachelor's or higher	39.0%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	14	3.3%
Kindergarten	17	4.0%
Elementary school	147	35.0%
High school	121	28.8%
College / grad school	121	28.8%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 24.4%

Professional & management 13.1%

Retail trade 11.9%

Agriculture & mining 7.5%

Public administration 6.8%

Construction 6.6%

Arts, food & hospitality 6.3%

Other services 4.9%

Finance & real estate 4.8%

Manufacturing 4.4%

Transportation & utilities 4.2%

Wholesale trade 3.4%

Information 1.6%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	40.1%
Service	15.1%
Sales & office	23.5%
Natural resources & construction	12.1%
Production & transportation	9.2%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	65.8%
Government	19.3%
Self-employed	14.0%
Unpaid family workers	1.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	71.5%
Carpool	10.9%
Public transit	0.4%
Walk	0.8%
Work from home	15.9%
Other means	0.6%
Avg commute (minutes)	33.6

Poverty

All people 5.9%

Under 18 years 5.3%

18 and over 6.1%

Married-couple families 2.5%

Female-led households 19.4%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	51.4%
Retirement income	29.0%
Supplemental Security	2.4%
Cash public assistance	1.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	3.6%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	24.1%
High blood pressure	27.6%
High cholesterol	29.0%
Diabetes	8.0%
Heart disease	5.4%
Stroke	2.5%
Asthma	9.8%
Arthritis	23.8%
Kidney disease	2.5%
Pulmonary disease	5.9%
Cancer	6.6%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	15.0%
Binge drinking	19.4%
No physical activity	16.7%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	27.4%
Depression	20.4%
Fair or poor health	10.3%
Poor mental health	13.5%
Poor physical health	9.2%
No health insurance	10.8%
Visited doctor (checkup)	68.0%
Visited dentist	67.4%
Cholesterol screening	91.3%
Teeth loss	10.1%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	129	5.9%

Disability	%
Any disability	10.4%
Under 18	1.9%
18–64 years	9.3%
65 and over	17.1%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	59.9%
Public insurance	45.0%
No insurance	7.0%
Uninsured under 19	8.5%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	2,468	94.5%
Spanish	27	1.1%
Other Indo-European	16	0.6%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	11	0.4%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	2,561	98.1%
Born in same state	2,556	97.9%
Born in different state	1,003	38.4%
Foreign born	5	0.2%
Naturalized citizen	50	1.9%
Not a US citizen	11	22.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	542	20.8%
Italian	291	11.1%
Arab	152	5.8%
English	40	1.5%
Norwegian	27	1%

Ancestry	Count	%
Dutch	21	0.8%
Polish	18	0.7%
German	11	0.4%
Irish	8	0.3%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	40.4%
Internet access	92.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 81326

What city is ZIP code 81326 in?

ZIP code 81326 is primarily assigned to Hesperus, Colorado.

What county is ZIP code 81326 in?

ZIP code 81326 falls within La Plata County, Colorado.

Does ZIP code 81326 have an older population?

29% of residents in ZIP code 81326 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Does ZIP code 81326 have a large retiree population?

51% of households in ZIP code 81326 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Is ZIP code 81326 mostly owner-occupied?

89% of occupied units in ZIP code 81326 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 81326?

The median home value in ZIP code 81326 is $483,300.

What timezone is ZIP code 81326 in?

ZIP code 81326 observes the MST timezone.