ZIP 80521 vs ZIP 80538

80521 is one of 18 ZIP codes that lie mostly in Larimer County, CO.

Shaded by typical home value, it ranks 12 of the 17 with a value.

Mapped in and around 80521: 111 places to go — 39 dining, 22 trails, 19 parks & open space.

9 school locations in 80521: 4 elementary, 1 middle, 4 high.

In alphabetical order: Bennett Elementary School, Dunn Elementary School, Irish Elementary School, Lincoln Middle School, and more on the ZIP page. Locations only — no ratings are shown here.

80538 is one of 18 ZIP codes that lie mostly in Larimer County, CO.

Shaded by typical home value, it ranks 13 of the 17 with a value.

Mapped in and around 80538: 169 places to go — 65 trails, 40 dining, 35 parks & open space.

16 school locations in 80538: 9 elementary, 4 middle, 2 high, 1 other.

In alphabetical order: Bamford Elementary School, Big Thompson Elementary School, Centennial Elementary School, Conrad Ball Middle School, and more on the ZIP page. Locations only — no ratings are shown here.

In January 2000 the typical home in 80521 was worth $160,427.

Values peaked at $538,213 in July 2022. The latest reading is −2.7% from that peak.

As of August 2026: $523,747, −0.1% over twelve months.

Start with the typical home: $523,747. Put 20% down and borrow $418,998 at 7.40%, the 30-year fixed average as of October 8, 2026.

That is $2,901 a month in principal and interest.

The median household here earns $52,679 a year, $4,390 a month. So the payment takes 66.1% of income — rated “severe” (Lotvox ZIP bands: under 28% affordable · 28–36% stretched · 36%+ severe).

The line holds today's rate fixed and moves only the price: at that rate, the same share was 20.2% in 2000.

Take the typical home's price each month, borrow 80% at that month's actual 30-year average rate: in January 2000 (8.21%) the payment was $961.

In December 2020, with rates at 2.68%, it was $1,387.

By August 2026, at 6.67%, it was $2,695 — +94% since December 2020, while the home's value moved +22%.

Reported values rose +226% since January 2000.

General prices (CPI-U) rose +97% over the same span.

Divide one by the other: in August 2026 dollars, the 2000 home was worth $316,619. So the real change is +65%, not +226%.

80521: +227% since January 2000.

Larimer County: +185% since January 2000.

Colorado: +199% since January 2000 — 80521 ran ahead of it by 28 points.

Owning the typical home costs about $3,425 a month once taxes and insurance (estimated at 1.2% of price a year) are added. Renting runs about $1,829 a month.

Price divided by a year's rent: 23.9. Lotvox reads under 15 as favoring buying and 20 or more as favoring renting.

In January 2000 the typical home in 80538 was worth $191,955.

Values peaked at $528,556 in July 2022. The latest reading is −5.9% from that peak.

As of August 2026: $497,625, −0.9% over twelve months.

Start with the typical home: $497,625. Put 20% down and borrow $398,100 at 7.40%, the 30-year fixed average as of October 8, 2026.

That is $2,756 a month in principal and interest.

The median household here earns $85,057 a year, $7,088 a month. So the payment takes 38.9% of income — rated “severe” (Lotvox ZIP bands: under 28% affordable · 28–36% stretched · 36%+ severe).

The line holds today's rate fixed and moves only the price: at that rate, the same share was 15.0% in 2000.

Take the typical home's price each month, borrow 80% at that month's actual 30-year average rate: in January 2000 (8.21%) the payment was $1,149.

In December 2020, with rates at 2.68%, it was $1,340.

By August 2026, at 6.67%, it was $2,560 — +91% since December 2020, while the home's value moved +20%.

Reported values rose +159% since January 2000.

General prices (CPI-U) rose +97% over the same span.

Divide one by the other: in August 2026 dollars, the 2000 home was worth $378,843. So the real change is +31%, not +159%.

80538: +159% since January 2000.

Larimer County: +185% since January 2000.

Colorado: +199% since January 2000 — 80538 ran behind it by 40 points.

Owning the typical home costs about $3,254 a month once taxes and insurance (estimated at 1.2% of price a year) are added. Renting runs about $2,024 a month.

Price divided by a year's rent: 20.5. Lotvox reads under 15 as favoring buying and 20 or more as favoring renting.

Picture the Listings Flow Ladder as a basin: new listings pour in from the faucet, the homes for sale are the water, and closed sales run out the drain. Coming in — new listings: about 41 a month (Redfin, 3-month rolling data through August 2026). That is 79% of the 2015–2019 level for the same months.

On the shelf — homes for sale at the end of the period: 114.

Going out — closed sales: about 34 a month. That is 77% of the 2015–2019 level for the same months. The drain is drawn 29% narrower: the share of homes for sale that sell each month is 71% of its 2015–2019 level.

The ladder: homes for sale ÷ monthly sales = 3.4 months of supply — below the 4–6 month range Lotvox treats as balanced. In the basin, that is the water level against the shaded balanced band.

The net reading: about 8 more homes came on than sold each month, so inventory is growing. The basin is filling.

Homes sold: about 34 a month in August 2026 (Redfin).

The 2015–2019 level for the same month was 37 — so sales ran at 92% of it, and below it in 20 of the last 24 months.

Across Larimer County, builders pulled permits for 2,436 new homes in 2025.

Of those, 40% were in 1-unit buildings (the Census Bureau's category for detached and attached single homes).

Picture the Listings Flow Ladder as a basin: new listings pour in from the faucet, the homes for sale are the water, and closed sales run out the drain. Coming in — new listings: about 104 a month (Redfin, 3-month rolling data through August 2026). That is 90% of the 2015–2019 level for the same months.

On the shelf — homes for sale at the end of the period: 297. That is 108% of the 2015–2019 level for the same months.

Going out — closed sales: about 96 a month. That is 95% of the 2015–2019 level for the same months. The drain is drawn 16% narrower: the share of homes for sale that sell each month is 84% of its 2015–2019 level.

The ladder: homes for sale ÷ monthly sales = 3.1 months of supply — below the 4–6 month range Lotvox treats as balanced. In the basin, that is the water level against the shaded balanced band.

The net reading: about 8 more homes came on than sold each month, so inventory is growing. The basin is filling.

Homes sold: about 96 a month in August 2026 (Redfin).

The 2015–2019 level for the same month was 91 — so sales ran at 105% of it, and below it in 19 of the last 24 months.

Across Larimer County, builders pulled permits for 2,436 new homes in 2025.

Of those, 40% were in 1-unit buildings (the Census Bureau's category for detached and attached single homes).

This ZIP sits in Larimer County. IRS tax returns for 2022-2023: among the ten counties sending the most households, 6,096 moved in. Among the ten receiving the most, 6,429 moved out.

Net across those counties: −333 households. Beside it, homes for sale in this ZIP: 114 in June 2026.

Most arrivals came from Weld, CO (2,021 households); most departures went to Weld, CO (2,730).

County assessor records list 8,049 properties with a market value here. Their average assessed market value is $528,300; the typical home value is $523,747.

The assessor average sits +0.9% from the market figure — an average against a typical value, so treat it as a check, not a verdict.

Of 8,959 homes with a recorded purchase date, 33% have had the same owner for 20 years or more, and 21% changed hands in the last five.

43% are owned from a different mailing address, 7% from out of state.

This ZIP sits in Larimer County. IRS tax returns for 2022-2023: among the ten counties sending the most households, 6,096 moved in. Among the ten receiving the most, 6,429 moved out.

Net across those counties: −333 households. Beside it, homes for sale in this ZIP: 297 in June 2026.

Most arrivals came from Weld, CO (2,021 households); most departures went to Weld, CO (2,730).

County assessor records list 16,814 properties with a market value here. Their average assessed market value is $501,250; the typical home value is $497,625.

The assessor average sits +0.7% from the market figure — an average against a typical value, so treat it as a check, not a verdict.

Of 19,529 homes with a recorded purchase date, 26% have had the same owner for 20 years or more, and 29% changed hands in the last five.

22% are owned from a different mailing address, 5% from out of state.