Simla, Colorado, 2013
Simla’s story
119 years in pictures
Census counts: 387 in 1920, 601 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and a map from 1970 on.
- 1907Simla is settled
SimlaCO
A town of 587, settled in 1907.
Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0
Population
587
2025 Census estimate · −3.5% since 2020
Typical home
$346K
+3.2% in a year
Household income
$45K
median
Median age
38.8
years
Jobs based here
180
A commuter town
Is Simla a good place to live?
31% of residents live below the poverty line in Simla, above both the Colorado town median (8.4%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 160 Colorado towns, just 2 have a lower median household income than Simla. Simla has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
587 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Simla: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Simla, and how to reach them.
PowerMountain View Elec Assn15.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Simla water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Simla’s trash rules yet
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 code8083580835 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 Simla.
Housing
Simla’s typical home value is about $346K
The typical Simla home is worth about $346,000, up 3.2% in a year, 35% below the Colorado typical home. 46% of Simla households own their home, where Colorado’s towns sit at 71% and U.S. towns at 73%. The median rent in Simla is $1,042 a month.
$346KZillow home value
| Simla | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 46% | 71% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,042 a month | $1,808 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Simla$346K
Colorado$529K
+3.2%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Simla’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Big Sandy School District No. 100J. Its three schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simla Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 165 | C+ |
| Simla High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 101 | A |
| Simla Junior High SchoolTop results in townGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 63 | A |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
Most of Simla’s workers commute out: the town has 0.6 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Simla for work: only 6% work in town. Simla’s average trip to work is 19 minutes. Since 2013, Simla has lost 24 jobs, to 180 in 2023.
6%work in town
| Simla | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 6.2% | 7.7% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Simla6%
Denver12%
Colorado Springs10%
Limon7%
Kiowa3%
53 mi
median commute distance
180
jobs based in Simla
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Simla has four seasons and pleasant summers
Simla has cold, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 13° and about 31 inches of snow falls in a winter.
31″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–44°
Spring30–61°
Summer52–84°
Fall32–64°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 12
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Simla is
Simla beats the Colorado average on 0 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 72% of adults had a checkup this year in Simla.
| Simla | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 26% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 71% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 27% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 25% |
26 measures vs. Colorado
0 better20 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Simla | CO |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 7.1% | 5.3% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 12.3% | 9.2% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 3.5% | 2.7% |
Lincoln Health Hospital
32.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Simla faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 59% of U.S. communities.
59risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHailWildfire
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Simla
18pages on Simla
The big questions
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Simla; the nearest are
University of Colorado Colorado SpringsUniversity or college · Public · Colorado Springs42.2 mi$10,149 in-state tuitionCommunity College of AuroraCommunity college · Public · Aurora55.4 mi$4,470 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Simla residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Colorado.
A commuter town
94% of working residents leave Simla for work
Where Simla’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
180jobs based in Simla
6%of working residents work in town
53 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Simla
Town in Elbert County, Colorado, United States
Simla is a statutory town in Elbert County, Colorado, United States. It is 48 miles (77 km) northeast of Colorado Springs. The population was 601 at the time of the 2020 United States census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 5,978 ft
- ZIP code
- 80835
- Area code
- 719
Questions about Simla
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Simla, CO a good place to live?
Simla has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.