Ponderosa Park, CO, 2018
Ponderosa Park’s story
Ponderosa Park in pictures
Census counts: 1,640 in 1990, 3,334 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 4 maps from 1939 on.
Explore the history →
Ponderosa ParkCO
Population 3,453: a town in Colorado.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
3,453
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$704K
Census ACS
Household income
$132K
median
Median age
42.3
years
Jobs based here
333
A commuter town
TownGrade
B
#84 of 158 in CO
Is Ponderosa Park a good place to live?
Real strengths, and real weak spots. Its strongest subject is health: CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 92% of the country. With a B overall, Ponderosa Park is better than 56% of U.S. towns and ranks 84th of 158 in Colorado. The drawback is walkability. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 96% of U.S. towns. Homes run about $704K for a typical one, 6.7 times the Denver metro’s $106K median household income. The town has 1 place on the National Register. Ponderosa Park’s typical journey to work is 49 minutes, against 25 minutes in Colorado’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns.
Figures: health, CDC PLACES · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · National Register of Historic Places.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Ponderosa Park for work
Where Ponderosa Park’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
333jobs based in Ponderosa Park
2%of working residents work in town
24 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Ponderosa Park grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Colorado), ordered by how far Ponderosa Park is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.2 of 20; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitD−Open →HealthAdventhealth Parker 12.7 miles awayAOpen →SchoolsBeat 78% of Colorado districts on tests and graduationA−Open →Cost of livingHomes are harder to afford than in most townsCOpen →Hazard riskWildfire tops the listCOpen →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksD−Open →HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Ponderosa Park: who provides what
Ponderosa Park is unincorporated, so Elbert County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerCORE Electric Cooperative15.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGambel Oaks HOA water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet11 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesElbert CountyElbert County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Colorado you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 8 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereElbert County Clerk and RecorderElbert County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code8010780107 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Ponderosa Park.
Ponderosa Park sends most of its workers to Denver and beyond and is healthy by national standards but mid-pack in Colorado.
HealthA
Ponderosa Park earns an A for health
Within Colorado it is healthier than 59% of the 159 graded towns: Colorado sets a high bar. Its widest gap with Colorado is no health insurance: 6.6% of those 18–64 have no health insurance, against 11.1% statewide.
Among adults in Ponderosa Park, 12% report frequent physical distress. Against the Colorado average, Ponderosa Park comes out ahead on 5 CDC measures out of 26, and behind on 2. In Ponderosa Park, 30% of adults sleep under 7 hours, and 16% get no exercise outside work.
92%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Ponderosa Park | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 26% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 36% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 16% | 25% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 71% | 79% |
26 measures vs. Colorado
5 better19 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Ponderosa Park | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.6% | 11.1% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 5.5% | 9.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 7.8% |
Adventhealth Parker
12.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
59th
percentile among CO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Most people working in Ponderosa Park commute elsewhere
Ponderosa Park has 333 jobs for its 2,221 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 49.4 minutes, against 25.2 across Colorado.
For most workers, Ponderosa Park is a place to come home to: only 2% work in town. Of the 159 Colorado towns we compare, none has a higher typical journey to work than Ponderosa Park. The town’s typical household income comes in at $132,000. Employers in Ponderosa Park added 111 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 333.
2%work in town
| Ponderosa Park | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 49 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $132,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 5.4% | 8.5% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.3% | 7.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Ponderosa Park2%
Denver18%
Aurora8%
Centennial5%
Colorado Springs5%
24 mi
median commute distance
333
jobs based in Ponderosa Park
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 4% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Ponderosa Park has snowy winters and pleasant summers
In Ponderosa Park, the peak summer temperature is 85°F.
75″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–44°
Spring32–59°
Summer52–82°
Fall34–63°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 16
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Ponderosa Park is older than the Colorado average
Colorado has 46% of adults 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or more; here it is 43%. People 65 and older are just over a fifth of residents (16% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 20% of residents (25% statewide). Ponderosa Park’s midpoint age stands at 42.3 years.
42.3median age · CO 37.7
| Ponderosa Park | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 21% | 15% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 20% | 22% | 22% |
| Median age | 42.3 years | 38.3 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 43% | 45% | 29% |
Ponderosa ParkColoradoUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school22%
Some college20%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s31%
Graduate12%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 93 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.4 points). Across Colorado, 49.3% of residents are women.
| Ponderosa Park | CO | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.4% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.5% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 12.5% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.4% | 15.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.8% | 14.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.9% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.2% | 11.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 17.9% | 9.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 3.5% | 5.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.2% | 7.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 22.4% | 19.7% | 26% |
| Some college | 19.7% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.6% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 31.1% | 28.1% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12% | 17.6% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,500, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Top of a high hazard risk in Ponderosa Park: wildfire
For Ponderosa Park, the natural-hazard score from FEMA is 62 of 100. FEMA puts 30% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to wildfires, and 29% to inland flooding.
62risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland floodingHail
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade C
Ponderosa Park stands out in Colorado and nationally, with more of its households who are owner-occupiers
The median sale price was $683,000 in September 2026. A home in Ponderosa Park typically sold within 55 days of listing. Homes in Ponderosa Park sold for 99% of their list price on average.
$683Kmedian sale price
Market temperature
55
days on market
99%
sale-to-list price
5
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ponderosa Park
16pages on Ponderosa Park
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Ponderosa Park
About 5 of every 100 Ponderosa Park residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Colorado.
About Ponderosa Park
Census-designated place in Elbert County, CO, USA
Ponderosa Park is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Elbert County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Ponderosa Park CDP was 3,334 at the United States Census 2020. Elbert County governs the unincorporated community. The Elizabeth post office (Zip Code 80107) serves the area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 15 sq mi
- Elevation
- 6,683 ft
Ponderosa Park’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Ponderosa Park.
ElizabethPonderosa Park
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CO rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ponderosa Park | #84 | B | C | — | A− | A |
| Elizabeth | #13 | A | C | A− | A− | A |
Ponderosa Park reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Ponderosa Park with a neighbor →
Questions about Ponderosa Park
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ponderosa Park, CO a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. It grades A for health and A− for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Ponderosa Park, CO expensive?
The typical home is worth about $704,000, 33% above the Colorado typical home.