81253 ZIP Code — Wetmore, CO

Custer County, Colorado

ZIP code 81253 is located in Wetmore, Colorado, within Custer County. It covers approximately 94.01 square miles and serves a population of 457 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 719.

About ZIP code 81253

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1980s, giving the area an established character. Owner-occupancy is high at 91%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $68,393. 41% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is sales and office, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. An above-average commute of 37 minutes suggests many residents work outside the immediate area.

College attainment at 19% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Overall, ZIP code 81253 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

457

population

94.01

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

81253 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 81253

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 81253. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Wetmore	Acceptable
Wetmore	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

81252 Westcliffe (14.6 mi) 81023 Beulah (15.9 mi) 81226 Florence (17.1 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	457
Population density	5 / sq mi
State FIPS	08
County FIPS	027

Geography
Land area	94.01 sq mi
Water area	0.04 sq mi
Latitude	38.0846
Longitude	-105.2155
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	22.1%	40.4%	32.5%
$50k – $100k	30.6%	37.1%	31.0%
$100k – $200k	38.1%	20.8%	26.9%
Over $200k	9.1%	1.7%	9.6%

Demographics & statistics

457

Population

People per sq mi

61.4

Median age

$68,393

Median household income

$33,510

Per capita income

Median home value

Median monthly rent

91.0%

Home ownership

1.5%

Poverty rate

22.2%

Unemployment

249

Housing units

18.6%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

10–14

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	33	7.2%
18 and over	424	92.8%
65 and over	147	32.2%
Median age	61.4 years

Race & ethnicity

White 74.1%

Hispanic or Latino 13%

Other race 13%

Group	Count	%
White	389	74.1%
Hispanic or Latino	68	13%
Other race	68	13%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	22.1%	40.4%	32.5%
$50k – $100k	30.6%	37.1%	31.0%
$100k – $200k	38.1%	20.8%	26.9%
Over $200k	9.1%	1.7%	9.6%

$15k–$25k 3.5%

$25k–$35k 4.0%

$35k–$50k 24.6%

$50k–$75k 45.2%

$100k–$150k 22.6%

Range	% of households
$15k–$25k	3.5%
$25k–$35k	4.0%
$35k–$50k	24.6%
$50k–$75k	45.2%
$100k–$150k	22.6%
Median income	$68,393

Housing

Home values

$100k–$150k 22.7%

$150k–$200k 3.9%

$200k–$300k 32.0%

$300k–$500k 9.9%

$500k–$1M 4.4%

$1M+ 27.1%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$0
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	91.0%
Renter occupied	9.0%
Vacant	25.5%
Single-family detached	98.1%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	1.9%
Median rooms	6.0
Avg household size (owned)	2.11

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	6.7%
2000–2009	0.0%
1990–1999	0.0%
1980–1989	38.6%
1970–1979	26.6%
1960–1969	3.4%
1950–1959	8.6%
1940–1949	13.5%
1939 or earlier	2.6%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	3.4%
2 bedrooms	29.6%
3 bedrooms	67.0%
4 bedrooms	0.0%
5+ bedrooms	0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	6.0%
1 vehicle	9.0%
2 vehicles	49.2%
3 or more	35.7%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	7.5%
Electricity	9.0%
Propane / LP gas	83.4%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	192	96.5%
Cohabiting couple	0	0.0%
Male householder, no spouse	0	0.0%
Female householder, no spouse	7	3.5%
Households with children under 18	18	9.0%
Households with seniors (65+)	82	41.2%
Average household size	2.26

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	0.0%	19.3%
Married	100.0%	78.0%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	0.0%	2.8%
Divorced	0.0%	0.0%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.0%

Some HS, no diploma 0.0%

HS graduate 18.1%

Some college, no degree 58.6%

Associate's degree 4.7%

Bachelor's degree 18.6%

Graduate / professional 0.0%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	100.0%
Bachelor's or higher	18.6%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	33	100.0%
High school	0	0.0%
College / grad school	0	0.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Finance & real estate 33.9%

Other services 21.8%

Education & healthcare 17.6%

Public administration 10.9%

Wholesale trade 10.3%

Manufacturing 5.5%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	17.6%
Service	10.9%
Sales & office	49.7%
Natural resources & construction	0.0%
Production & transportation	21.8%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	89.1%
Government	10.9%
Self-employed	0.0%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	89.1%
Carpool	0.0%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	10.9%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	36.5

Poverty

All people 1.5%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 1.7%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	41.2%
Retirement income	24.6%
Supplemental Security	0.0%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	9.0%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	25.4%
High blood pressure	34.6%
High cholesterol	36.7%
Diabetes	10.8%
Heart disease	7.9%
Stroke	3.6%
Asthma	10.1%
Arthritis	31.4%
Kidney disease	3.4%
Pulmonary disease	8.1%
Cancer	9.1%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	15.7%
Binge drinking	15.3%
No physical activity	18.8%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	28.6%
Depression	20.0%
Fair or poor health	13.3%
Poor mental health	12.8%
Poor physical health	11.4%
No health insurance	10.0%
Visited doctor (checkup)	71.7%
Visited dentist	63.6%
Cholesterol screening	93.8%
Teeth loss	11.8%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	9	2.1%

Disability	%
Any disability	7.4%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	9.7%
65 and over	4.8%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	97.4%
Public insurance	28.2%
No insurance	1.1%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	457	100.0%
Spanish	7	1.5%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	7	1.5%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	450	98.5%
Born in same state	450	98.5%
Born in different state	224	49.0%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	7	1.5%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	103	22.5%
French	98	21.4%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	49	10.7%
Arab	42	9.2%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	43.5%
Internet access	100.0%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 81253

What city is ZIP code 81253 in?

ZIP code 81253 is primarily assigned to Wetmore, Colorado.

What county is ZIP code 81253 in?

ZIP code 81253 falls within Custer County, Colorado.

Does ZIP code 81253 have an older population?

32% of residents in ZIP code 81253 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Is ZIP code 81253 mostly owner-occupied?

91% of occupied units in ZIP code 81253 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 81253 have a large retiree population?

41% of households in ZIP code 81253 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the population of ZIP code 81253?

ZIP code 81253 has an estimated population of 457 residents, with a density of 5 people per square mile.

What timezone is ZIP code 81253 in?

ZIP code 81253 observes the MST timezone.