ZIP 80538

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 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 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: 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.