ZIP 81521 vs ZIP 81624

81521 is one of 17 ZIP codes that lie mostly in Mesa County, CO.

Shaded by typical home value, it ranks 10 of the 15 with a value.

Mapped in and around 81521: 135 places to go — 64 trails, 23 dining, 23 arts & venues.

7 school locations in 81521: 4 elementary, 1 middle, 2 high.

In alphabetical order: Fruita 8/9 School, Fruita Middle School, Fruita Monument High School, Monument Ridge Elementary School, and more on the ZIP page. Locations only — no ratings are shown here.

81624 is one of 17 ZIP codes that lie mostly in Mesa County, CO.

Shaded by typical home value, it ranks 11 of the 15 with a value.

Mapped in and around 81624: 35 places to go — 15 trails, 15 day trips, 3 arts & venues.

4 school locations in 81624: 2 middle, 2 high.

In alphabetical order: Grand Mesa High School, Plateau Valley Elementary School, Plateau Valley High School, Plateau Valley Junior High School. Locations only — no ratings are shown here.

In January 2000 the typical home in 81521 was worth $145,317.

Values peaked at $485,728 in August 2026. The latest reading is the peak.

As of August 2026: $485,728, +2.7% over twelve months.

Start with the typical home: $485,728. Put 20% down and borrow $388,582 at 7.40%, the 30-year fixed average as of October 8, 2026.

That is $2,690 a month in principal and interest.

The median household here earns $82,632 a year, $6,886 a month. So the payment takes 39.1% 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 11.7% 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 $870.

In December 2020, with rates at 2.68%, it was $1,101.

By August 2026, at 6.67%, it was $2,499 — +127% since December 2020, while the home's value moved +43%.

Reported values rose +234% 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 $286,798. So the real change is +69%, not +234%.

81521: +234% since January 2000.

Mesa County: +206% since January 2000.

Colorado: +199% since January 2000 — 81521 ran ahead of it by 36 points.

Owning the typical home costs about $3,176 a month once taxes and insurance (estimated at 1.2% of price a year) are added. Renting runs about $1,704 a month.

Price divided by a year's rent: 23.8. Lotvox reads under 15 as favoring buying and 20 or more as favoring renting.

In January 2000 the typical home in 81624 was worth $141,962.

Values peaked at $423,545 in May 2026. The latest reading is −0.8% from that peak.

As of August 2026: $420,192, +4.3% over twelve months.

Start with the typical home: $420,192. Put 20% down and borrow $336,154 at 7.40%, the 30-year fixed average as of October 8, 2026.

That is $2,327 a month in principal and interest.

The median household here earns $89,900 a year, $7,492 a month. So the payment takes 31.1% 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 10.5% 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 $850.

In December 2020, with rates at 2.68%, it was $937.

By August 2026, at 6.67%, it was $2,162 — +131% since December 2020, while the home's value moved +45%.

Reported values rose +196% 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 $280,177. So the real change is +50%, not +196%.

81624: +196% since January 2000.

Mesa County: +206% since January 2000.

Colorado: +199% since January 2000 — 81624 ran behind it by 3 points.

Owning the typical home costs about $2,748 a month once taxes and insurance (estimated at 1.2% of price a year) are added. Renting runs about $1,153 a month.

Price divided by a year's rent: 30.4. 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 116% of the 2015–2019 level for the same months.

On the shelf — homes for sale at the end of the period: 119.

Going out — closed sales: about 31 a month. That is 69% of the 2015–2019 level for the same months. The drain is drawn 37% narrower: the share of homes for sale that sell each month is 63% of its 2015–2019 level.

The ladder: homes for sale ÷ monthly sales = 3.8 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 9 more homes came on than sold each month, so inventory is growing. The basin is filling.

Homes sold: about 31 a month in August 2026 (Redfin).

The 2015–2019 level for the same month was 36 — so sales ran at 86% of it, and below it in 23 of the last 24 months.

Across Mesa County, builders pulled permits for 810 new homes in 2025.

Of those, 86% were in 1-unit buildings (the Census Bureau's category for detached and attached single homes).

Homes sold: about 1 a month in August 2026 (Redfin).

The 2015–2019 level for the same month was 2 — so sales ran at 50% of it, and below it in 13 of the last 24 months.

Across Mesa County, builders pulled permits for 810 new homes in 2025.

Of those, 86% were in 1-unit buildings (the Census Bureau's category for detached and attached single homes).

This ZIP sits in Mesa County. IRS tax returns for 2022-2023: among the ten counties sending the most households, 1,295 moved in. Among the ten receiving the most, 976 moved out.

Net across those counties: +319 households. Beside it, homes for sale in this ZIP: 119 in June 2026.

Most arrivals came from Garfield, CO (237 households); most departures went to Delta, CO (151).

County assessor records list 5,868 properties with a market value here. Their average assessed market value is $410,915; the typical home value is $485,728.

The assessor average sits −15.4% from the market figure — an average against a typical value, so treat it as a check, not a verdict.

Of 6,008 homes with a recorded purchase date, 21% have had the same owner for 20 years or more, and 27% changed hands in the last five.

25% are owned from a different mailing address, 3% from out of state.

This ZIP sits in Mesa County. IRS tax returns for 2022-2023: among the ten counties sending the most households, 1,295 moved in. Among the ten receiving the most, 976 moved out.

Net across those counties: +319 households. Beside it, homes for sale in this ZIP: 8 in June 2026.

Most arrivals came from Garfield, CO (237 households); most departures went to Delta, CO (151).

County assessor records list 424 properties with a market value here. Their average assessed market value is $243,830; the typical home value is $420,192.

The assessor average sits −42.0% from the market figure — an average against a typical value, so treat it as a check, not a verdict.

Of 423 homes with a recorded purchase date, 30% have had the same owner for 20 years or more, and 24% changed hands in the last five.

72% are owned from a different mailing address, 6% from out of state.