81242 ZIP Code — Poncha Springs, CO

Chaffee County, Colorado

ZIP code 81242 is located in Poncha Springs, Colorado, within Chaffee County. It covers approximately 20.51 square miles and serves a population of 913 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 719.

About ZIP code 81242

The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Much of the housing stock is relatively new, reflecting recent development activity. Median home value is $396,800. Owner-occupancy is high at 84%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $68,826. 34% 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 13 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 33% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 13% of civilians, above the national average of 7%.

Overall, ZIP code 81242 reflects a community defined by a strong veteran community, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

913

population

20.51

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

81242 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 81242

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 81242. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Poncha Springs	Acceptable

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	913
Population density	45 / sq mi
State FIPS	08
County FIPS	015

Geography
Land area	20.51 sq mi
Water area	0.00 sq mi
Latitude	38.5129
Longitude	-106.0764
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	35.4%	42.9%	32.5%
$50k – $100k	38.4%	32.2%	31.0%
$100k – $200k	22.7%	19.5%	26.9%
Over $200k	3.5%	5.4%	9.6%

Demographics & statistics

913

Population

People per sq mi

52.3

Median age

$68,826

Median household income

$45,828

Per capita income

$396,800

Median home value

$1,333

Median monthly rent

84.3%

Home ownership

10.7%

Poverty rate

0.0%

Unemployment

458

Housing units

33.2%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	101	11.1%
18 and over	812	88.9%
65 and over	173	18.9%
Median age	52.3 years

Race & ethnicity

White 82.8%

Two or more races 10.1%

Hispanic or Latino 6.4%

Asian 0.8%

Group	Count	%
White	807	82.8%
Two or more races	98	10.1%
Hispanic or Latino	62	6.4%
Asian	8	0.8%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	35.4%	42.9%	32.5%
$50k – $100k	38.4%	32.2%	31.0%
$100k – $200k	22.7%	19.5%	26.9%
Over $200k	3.5%	5.4%	9.6%

Under $10k 2.2%

$10k–$15k 5.2%

$15k–$25k 12.9%

$25k–$35k 3.6%

$35k–$50k 3.6%

$50k–$75k 28.2%

$75k–$100k 11.9%

$100k–$150k 26.2%

$150k–$200k 3.6%

$200k+ 2.6%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	2.2%
$10k–$15k	5.2%
$15k–$25k	12.9%
$25k–$35k	3.6%
$35k–$50k	3.6%
$50k–$75k	28.2%
$75k–$100k	11.9%
$100k–$150k	26.2%
$150k–$200k	3.6%
$200k+	2.6%
Median income	$68,826

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 7.9%

$200k–$300k 10.0%

$300k–$500k 60.6%

$500k–$1M 21.5%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$396,800
Median rent / month	$1,333
Owner occupied	84.3%
Renter occupied	15.7%
Vacant	7.3%
Single-family detached	68.7%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	6.9%
Median rooms	5.3
Avg household size (owned)	1.79

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.6%
2010–2019	25.0%
2000–2009	22.9%
1990–1999	16.8%
1980–1989	11.6%
1970–1979	2.2%
1960–1969	2.4%
1950–1959	9.0%
1940–1949	8.4%
1939 or earlier	1.1%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	1.5%
1 bedroom	6.5%
2 bedrooms	25.9%
3 bedrooms	60.1%
4 bedrooms	6.0%
5+ bedrooms	0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	3.6%
1 vehicle	11.5%
2 vehicles	66.0%
3 or more	18.9%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	58.6%
Electricity	23.7%
Propane / LP gas	5.6%
Wood	12.1%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	239	48.1%
Cohabiting couple	6	1.2%
Male householder, no spouse	158	31.8%
Female householder, no spouse	94	18.9%
Households with children under 18	69	13.9%
Households with seniors (65+)	167	33.6%
Average household size	1.84

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	13.4%	19.6%
Married	57.7%	64.0%
Separated	0.0%	4.7%
Widowed	4.4%	2.7%
Divorced	24.4%	8.9%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.0%

Some HS, no diploma 3.6%

HS graduate 12.8%

Some college, no degree 35.5%

Associate's degree 14.8%

Bachelor's degree 20.7%

Graduate / professional 12.5%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	96.4%
Bachelor's or higher	33.2%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	22	23.9%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	35	38.0%
High school	0	0.0%
College / grad school	35	38.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 18.9%

Public administration 18.4%

Transportation & utilities 14.5%

Arts, food & hospitality 12.5%

Professional & management 11.0%

Retail trade 7.3%

Finance & real estate 6.4%

Construction 5.1%

Information 3.0%

Manufacturing 2.4%

Other services 0.7%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	38.8%
Service	31.2%
Sales & office	23.6%
Natural resources & construction	4.4%
Production & transportation	2.0%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	67.1%
Government	25.5%
Self-employed	7.4%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	67.5%
Carpool	14.4%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	3.0%
Work from home	15.1%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	13.2

Poverty

All people 10.7%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 11.7%

Married-couple families 7.5%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	34.2%
Retirement income	14.9%
Supplemental Security	1.8%
Cash public assistance	2.2%
Food stamps / SNAP	8.5%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	22.6%
High blood pressure	24.9%
High cholesterol	28.8%
Diabetes	6.8%
Heart disease	4.8%
Stroke	2.3%
Asthma	10.0%
Arthritis	22.3%
Kidney disease	2.3%
Pulmonary disease	5.2%
Cancer	6.2%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	13.8%
Binge drinking	19.8%
No physical activity	14.7%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	27.8%
Depression	20.9%
Fair or poor health	9.4%
Poor mental health	14.1%
Poor physical health	8.5%
No health insurance	10.7%
Visited doctor (checkup)	61.7%
Visited dentist	70.3%
Cholesterol screening	90.0%
Teeth loss	9.3%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	106	13.1%

Disability	%
Any disability	7.0%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	4.1%
65 and over	22.0%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	71.5%
Public insurance	39.0%
No insurance	2.4%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	847	92.8%
Spanish	0	0.0%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	906	99.2%
Born in same state	898	98.4%
Born in different state	566	62.0%
Foreign born	8	0.9%
Naturalized citizen	7	0.8%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	215	23.5%
Italian	131	14.3%
Polish	51	5.6%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	25	2.7%
Arab	10	1.1%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	54.4%
Internet access	98.4%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 81242

What city is ZIP code 81242 in?

ZIP code 81242 is primarily assigned to Poncha Springs, Colorado.

What county is ZIP code 81242 in?

ZIP code 81242 falls within Chaffee County, Colorado.

Is ZIP code 81242 mostly owner-occupied?

84% of occupied units in ZIP code 81242 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 81242 have a large veteran population?

13% of civilians in ZIP code 81242 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 81242?

The median home value in ZIP code 81242 is $396,800.

What is the population of ZIP code 81242?

ZIP code 81242 has an estimated population of 913 residents, with a density of 45 people per square mile.

What timezone is ZIP code 81242 in?

ZIP code 81242 observes the MST timezone.