Median Income
$104,712
household / year
Median Home Value
$396,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,722
gross / month
Cost of Living
97
national avg = 100

Is Palmer Lake, CO a Good Place to Live?

Palmer Lake is a small town of 2,642 in Colorado, with a median household income of $104,712 and a 7.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.

Strengths: Palmer Lake stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Palmer Lake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Palmer Lake city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 97.4

Palmer Lake's overall cost of living index is 97.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Palmer Lake costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.

Metric Palmer Lake, CO National Avg
Median Home Value $396,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,722 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 92.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $104,712 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Palmer Lake's violent crime rate is 156.1 per 100,000 residents — 59% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
156.1 /100k
Property Crime
897.4 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Palmer Lake is served primarily by Lewis-Palmer Consolidated School District No. 38 in the co. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.1:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Palmer Lake, CO National Avg
School District Lewis-Palmer Consolidated School District No. 38 in the co —
Elementary Schools 6 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 3 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 17.1:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 38.9% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 97.8% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Palmer Lake sees average highs of 40.9°F in January and 82.5°F in July, with 21.4 inches of annual precipitation and 121.1 inches of snow per year.

MetricPalmer Lake, CO
Average High — January40.9°F
Average High — July82.5°F
Annual Precipitation21.4"
Annual Snowfall121.1"

Demographics

MetricPalmer Lake, CONational Avg
Population2,642—
Median Age54.538.9
Unemployment Rate7.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time27.1 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)88.5%59.3%
Black or African American1.2%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino8.9%18.9%
Asian0.4%6.3%
Under 1810.8%22.2%
65 and over21.6%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Woodmoor, CO 4 mi Monument, CO 5 mi Gleneagle, CO 7 mi Larkspur, CO 8 mi Air Force Academy, CO 9 mi

ZIP Codes in Palmer Lake

Palmer Lake, CO is covered by 1 ZIP code:

80133

Palmer Lake vs Other Cities

Palmer Lake, CO vs Woodmoor, CO Palmer Lake, CO vs Monument, CO Palmer Lake, CO vs Gleneagle, CO Palmer Lake, CO vs Larkspur, CO Palmer Lake, CO vs Air Force Academy, CO

Frequently Asked Questions

Palmer Lake's cost of living index is 97, where 100 is the national average. That makes Palmer Lake roughly 3% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $396,100 and median rent is $1,722/month.
Palmer Lake's violent crime rate is 156.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 897.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Palmer Lake are operated by Lewis-Palmer Consolidated School District No. 38 in the co. The district has 6 elementary, 1 middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.1:1. 38.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Palmer Lake, CO has a population of 2,642, a median household income of $104,712, and an unemployment rate of 7.0%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Palmer Lake averages 40.9°F in January and 82.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 21.4 inches with about 121.1 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Palmer Lake, CO is covered by 1 ZIP code: 80133.
The population of Palmer Lake, Colorado is 2,642 with a median age of 54.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Palmer Lake: cost of living index 97 (100 = US average), median home $396,100, median household income $104,712, crime index 42 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Palmer Lake side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.