ZIP 81251 vs ZIP 80461

81251 is one of 2 ZIP codes that lie mostly in Lake County, CO.

Shaded by typical home value, it ranks 1 of the 2 with a value.

Mapped in and around 81251: 53 places to go — 32 trails, 15 day trips, 4 arts & venues.

80461 is one of 2 ZIP codes that lie mostly in Lake County, CO.

Shaded by typical home value, it ranks 2 of the 2 with a value.

Mapped in and around 80461: 107 places to go — 46 trails, 27 arts & venues, 15 dining.

4 school locations in 80461: 1 elementary, 1 middle, 2 high.

In alphabetical order: Cloud City High School, Lake County Elementary School, Lake County High School, Lake County Intermediate School. Locations only — no ratings are shown here.

In June 2009 the typical home in 81251 was worth $250,442.

Values peaked at $649,976 in August 2026. The latest reading is the peak.

As of August 2026: $649,976, +4.0% over twelve months.

Start with the typical home: $649,976. Put 20% down and borrow $519,981 at 7.40%, the 30-year fixed average as of October 8, 2026.

That is $3,600 a month in principal and interest.

The median household here earns $75,333 a year, $6,278 a month. So the payment takes 57.3% 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 22.1% in 2009.

Take the typical home's price each month, borrow 80% at that month's actual 30-year average rate: in June 2009 (5.42%) the payment was $1,128.

In December 2020, with rates at 2.68%, it was $1,287.

By August 2026, at 6.67%, it was $3,344 — +160% since December 2020, while the home's value moved +64%.

Reported values rose +160% since June 2009.

General prices (CPI-U) rose +56% over the same span.

Divide one by the other: in August 2026 dollars, the 2009 home was worth $389,592. So the real change is +67%, not +160%.

81251: +160% since June 2009.

Lake County: +180% since June 2009.

Colorado: +134% since June 2009 — 81251 ran ahead of it by 25 points.

Owning the typical home costs about $4,250 a month once taxes and insurance (estimated at 1.2% of price a year) are added. Renting runs about $1,397 a month.

Price divided by a year's rent: 38.8. Lotvox reads under 15 as favoring buying and 20 or more as favoring renting.

In June 2009 the typical home in 80461 was worth $179,196.

Values peaked at $504,651 in August 2026. The latest reading is the peak.

As of August 2026: $504,651, +1.8% over twelve months.

Start with the typical home: $504,651. Put 20% down and borrow $403,721 at 7.40%, the 30-year fixed average as of October 8, 2026.

That is $2,795 a month in principal and interest.

The median household here earns $94,274 a year, $7,856 a month. So the payment takes 35.6% of income — rated “stretched” (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 12.6% in 2009.

Take the typical home's price each month, borrow 80% at that month's actual 30-year average rate: in June 2009 (5.42%) the payment was $807.

In December 2020, with rates at 2.68%, it was $1,092.

By August 2026, at 6.67%, it was $2,596 — +138% since December 2020, while the home's value moved +50%.

Reported values rose +182% since June 2009.

General prices (CPI-U) rose +56% over the same span.

Divide one by the other: in August 2026 dollars, the 2009 home was worth $278,760. So the real change is +81%, not +182%.

80461: +182% since June 2009.

Lake County: +180% since June 2009.

Colorado: +134% since June 2009 — 80461 ran ahead of it by 48 points.

Owning the typical home costs about $3,300 a month once taxes and insurance (estimated at 1.2% of price a year) are added. Renting runs about $2,556 a month.

Price divided by a year's rent: 16.5. Lotvox reads under 15 as favoring buying and 20 or more as favoring renting.

Homes sold: about 2 a month in August 2026 (Redfin).

The 2015–2019 level for the same month was 2 — so sales ran at 100% of it, and below it in 4 of the last 24 months.

Across Lake County, builders pulled permits for 46 new homes in 2025.

Of those, 100% 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 22 a month (Redfin, 3-month rolling data through August 2026).

On the shelf — homes for sale at the end of the period: 89.

Going out — closed sales: about 10 a month. The drain is drawn 44% narrower: the share of homes for sale that sell each month is 56% of its 2015–2019 level.

The ladder: homes for sale ÷ monthly sales = 8.9 months of supply — above the 4–6 month balanced range. In the basin, that is the water level against the shaded balanced band.

The net reading: about 12 more homes came on than sold each month, so inventory is growing. The basin is filling.

Homes sold: about 10 a month in August 2026 (Redfin).

The 2015–2019 level for the same month was 19 — so sales ran at 53% of it, and below it in 16 of the last 24 months.

Across Lake County, builders pulled permits for 46 new homes in 2025.

Of those, 100% were in 1-unit buildings (the Census Bureau's category for detached and attached single homes).

This ZIP sits in Lake County. IRS tax returns for 2022-2023: among the ten counties sending the most households, 92 moved in. Among the ten receiving the most, 71 moved out.

Net across those counties: +21 households. Beside it, homes for sale in this ZIP: 13 in June 2026.

Most arrivals came from Summit, CO (41 households); most departures went to Summit, CO (26).

County assessor records list 438 properties with a market value here. Their average assessed market value is $508,411; the typical home value is $649,976.

The assessor average sits −21.8% from the market figure — an average against a typical value, so treat it as a check, not a verdict.

This ZIP sits in Lake County. IRS tax returns for 2022-2023: among the ten counties sending the most households, 92 moved in. Among the ten receiving the most, 71 moved out.

Net across those counties: +21 households. Beside it, homes for sale in this ZIP: 89 in June 2026.

Most arrivals came from Summit, CO (41 households); most departures went to Summit, CO (26).

County assessor records list 3,985 properties with a market value here. Their average assessed market value is $416,085; the typical home value is $504,651.

The assessor average sits −17.5% from the market figure — an average against a typical value, so treat it as a check, not a verdict.