81126 ZIP Code — Chama, CO

Costilla County, Colorado

ZIP code 81126 is located in Chama, Colorado, within Costilla County. It covers approximately 9.98 square miles and serves a population of 371 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 719.

About ZIP code 81126

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $154,500. Owner-occupancy is high at 94%, well above the national average.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. Remote work is prevalent — 21% of workers work from home.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 28% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (21%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 17% of civilians, above the national average of 7%; and disability rates above the national average at 34%.

Overall, ZIP code 81126 reflects a community defined by a strong veteran community, high homeownership, a high rate of remote workers, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

371

population

9.98

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

81126 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 81126

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 81126. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Chama	Acceptable

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	371
Population density	37 / sq mi
State FIPS	08
County FIPS	023

Geography
Land area	9.98 sq mi
Water area	0.00 sq mi
Latitude	37.2046
Longitude	-105.3435
Timezone	Mountain (MT)
Area code	719

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	29.8%	68.1%	32.5%
$50k – $100k	45.2%	21.8%	31.0%
$100k – $200k	0.0%	6.7%	26.9%
Over $200k	25.0%	3.4%	9.6%

Demographics & statistics

371

Population

People per sq mi

32.8

Median age

Median household income

$32,590

Per capita income

$154,500

Median home value

Median monthly rent

94.3%

Home ownership

1.3%

Poverty rate

0.0%

Unemployment

203

Housing units

27.5%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

60–64

65–74

75–84

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	37	10.0%
18 and over	334	90.0%
65 and over	106	28.6%
Median age	32.8 years

Race & ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 41.7%

Two or more races 39.8%

American Indian / Alaska Native 9.9%

White 6.8%

Other race 1.9%

Group	Count	%
Hispanic or Latino	265	41.7%
Two or more races	253	39.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	63	9.9%
White	43	6.8%
Other race	12	1.9%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	29.8%	68.1%	32.5%
$50k – $100k	45.2%	21.8%	31.0%
$100k – $200k	0.0%	6.7%	26.9%
Over $200k	25.0%	3.4%	9.6%

$10k–$15k 5.7%

$35k–$50k 44.3%

$50k–$75k 8.0%

$100k–$150k 8.0%

$200k+ 34.1%

Range	% of households
$10k–$15k	5.7%
$35k–$50k	44.3%
$50k–$75k	8.0%
$100k–$150k	8.0%
$200k+	34.1%
Median income	$0

Housing

Home values

$50k–$100k 24.1%

$100k–$150k 22.9%

$150k–$200k 16.9%

$200k–$300k 36.1%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$154,500
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	94.3%
Renter occupied	5.7%
Vacant	57.7%
Single-family detached	78.4%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	21.6%
Median rooms	5.1
Avg household size (owned)	4.41

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	0.0%
2000–2009	0.0%
1990–1999	25.0%
1980–1989	12.0%
1970–1979	16.8%
1960–1969	0.0%
1950–1959	0.0%
1940–1949	3.8%
1939 or earlier	42.3%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	10.6%
2 bedrooms	21.2%
3 bedrooms	34.1%
4 bedrooms	34.1%
5+ bedrooms	0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	5.7%
1 vehicle	0.0%
2 vehicles	38.6%
3 or more	55.7%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	5.7%
Electricity	34.1%
Propane / LP gas	37.5%
Wood	14.8%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	76	86.4%
Cohabiting couple	7	8.0%
Male householder, no spouse	0	0.0%
Female householder, no spouse	5	5.7%
Households with children under 18	37	42.0%
Households with seniors (65+)	58	65.9%
Average household size	4.22

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	31.3%	17.0%
Married	64.4%	64.3%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	0.0%	4.7%
Divorced	4.3%	14.0%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.0%

Some HS, no diploma 0.0%

HS graduate 33.5%

Some college, no degree 32.4%

Associate's degree 6.7%

Bachelor's degree 7.0%

Graduate / professional 20.4%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	100.0%
Bachelor's or higher	27.5%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	4	14.8%
High school	0	0.0%
College / grad school	23	85.2%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 53.9%

Public administration 22.4%

Transportation & utilities 15.1%

Other services 8.6%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	37.5%
Service	20.4%
Sales & office	31.6%
Natural resources & construction	0.0%
Production & transportation	10.5%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	48.7%
Government	42.8%
Self-employed	8.6%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	78.9%
Carpool	0.0%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	21.1%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	0.0

Poverty

All people 1.3%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 1.5%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	86.4%
Retirement income	23.9%
Supplemental Security	27.3%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	34.1%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	33.0%
High blood pressure	38.4%
High cholesterol	37.1%
Diabetes	20.7%
Heart disease	9.9%
Stroke	5.0%
Asthma	10.1%
Arthritis	30.1%
Kidney disease	5.4%
Pulmonary disease	8.2%
Cancer	6.6%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	16.0%
Binge drinking	11.9%
No physical activity	36.3%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	30.1%
Depression	17.1%
Fair or poor health	28.2%
Poor mental health	13.6%
Poor physical health	16.8%
No health insurance	30.8%
Visited doctor (checkup)	72.5%
Visited dentist	47.9%
Cholesterol screening	90.7%
Teeth loss	17.5%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	56	16.8%

Disability	%
Any disability	34.0%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	24.6%
65 and over	66.0%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	66.0%
Public insurance	60.6%
No insurance	11.6%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	338	91.1%
Spanish	13	3.8%
Other Indo-European	13	3.8%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	365	98.4%
Born in same state	365	98.4%
Born in different state	174	46.9%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	6	1.6%
Not a US citizen	6	100.0%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	23.7%
Internet access	100.0%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 81126

What city is ZIP code 81126 in?

ZIP code 81126 is primarily assigned to Chama, Colorado.

What county is ZIP code 81126 in?

ZIP code 81126 falls within Costilla County, Colorado.

Does ZIP code 81126 have a large retiree population?

86% of households in ZIP code 81126 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Is ZIP code 81126 mostly owner-occupied?

94% of occupied units in ZIP code 81126 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 81126 have an older population?

29% of residents in ZIP code 81126 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Does ZIP code 81126 have a large veteran population?

17% of civilians in ZIP code 81126 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What timezone is ZIP code 81126 in?

ZIP code 81126 observes the MST timezone.