2026 Rankings

Worst Infrastructure: Colorado — 2026 Rankings

Last updated: October 15, 2026

495 ZIP codes ranked by Infrastructure Stress Indicator #1: ZIP 81129 (Conejos, CO) - 74/100

Out of 495 ZIP codes with infrastructure data in Colorado, these areas have the highest modeled infrastructure stress indicator values, computed from area-level data on infrastructure age, funding gaps, violation history, and lead indicators. The indicator is not a measured failure probability or forecast.

Statistic Value
ZIP codes ranked 495
Highest stress indicator 74/100
Median stress indicator 39/100
Average stress indicator 41/100
State Colorado

Top 100 ZIP Codes by Infrastructure Stress

Rank ZIP Code City State Infrastructure Stress Stress Level Safety Score
1 81129 Conejos CO 74/100 Very High —
2 80131 Louviers CO 73/100 Very High —
3 80754 Stoneham CO 70/100 Very High —
4 81335 Yellow Jacket CO 69/100 Very High —
5 80744 Ovid CO 68/100 Very High —
6 80860 Victor CO 68/100 Very High —
7 81004 Pueblo CO 68/100 Very High 50/100
8 80469 Phippsburg CO 67/100 Very High —
9 80476 Silver Plume CO 67/100 Very High —
10 80755 Vernon CO 67/100 Very High —
11 80804 Arriba CO 67/100 Very High —
12 81043 Hartman CO 67/100 Very High —
13 80824 Kirk CO 66/100 Very High —
14 80742 New Raymer CO 65/100 Very High —
15 81027 Branson CO 65/100 Very High —
16 81033 Crowley CO 65/100 Very High —
17 81050 La Junta CO 65/100 Very High —
18 81076 Sugar City CO 65/100 Very High —
19 80510 Allenspark CO 64/100 Very High —
20 80532 Glen Haven CO 64/100 Very High —
21 80740 Lindon CO 64/100 Very High —
22 80749 Sedgwick CO 64/100 Very High —
23 80757 Woodrow CO 64/100 Very High —
24 80823 Karval CO 64/100 Very High —
25 80834 Seibert CO 64/100 Very High —
26 81029 Campo CO 64/100 Very High —
27 81030 Cheraw CO 64/100 Very High —
28 81049 Kim CO 64/100 Very High —
29 80726 Crook CO 63/100 Very High —
30 80737 Julesburg CO 63/100 Very High —
31 80861 Vona CO 63/100 Very High —
32 81040 Gardner CO 63/100 Very High —
33 81064 Pritchett CO 63/100 Very High —
34 80453 Idledale CO 62/100 Very High —
35 80728 Fleming CO 62/100 Very High —
36 80743 Otis CO 62/100 Very High —
37 80747 Peetz CO 62/100 Very High —
38 80815 Flagler CO 62/100 Very High —
39 80818 Genoa CO 62/100 Very High —
40 80821 Hugo CO 62/100 Very High —
41 81036 Eads CO 62/100 Very High —
42 81063 Ordway CO 62/100 Very High —
43 81433 Silverton CO 62/100 Very High —
44 80438 Empire CO 61/100 Very High —
45 80444 Georgetown CO 61/100 Very High —
46 80720 Akron CO 61/100 Very High —
47 80727 Eckley CO 61/100 Very High —
48 80802 Arapahoe CO 61/100 Very High —
49 80805 Bethune CO 61/100 Very High —
50 80819 Green Mountain Falls CO 61/100 Very High —
51 80822 Joes CO 61/100 Very High —
52 80830 Matheson CO 61/100 Very High —
53 80835 Simla CO 61/100 Very High —
54 81126 Chama CO 61/100 Very High —
55 81141 Manassa CO 61/100 Very High —
56 80731 Haxtun CO 60/100 High —
57 80734 Holyoke CO 60/100 High —
58 80735 Idalia CO 60/100 High —
59 80759 Yuma CO 60/100 High —
60 80810 Cheyenne Wells CO 60/100 High —
61 80836 Stratton CO 60/100 High —
62 80903 Colorado Springs CO 60/100 High 50/100
63 81062 Olney Springs CO 60/100 High —
64 81071 Sheridan Lake CO 60/100 High —
65 81087 Vilas CO 60/100 High —
66 80468 Parshall CO 59/100 High —
67 80483 Yampa CO 59/100 High —
68 80758 Wray CO 59/100 High —
69 80801 Anton CO 59/100 High —
70 80807 Burlington CO 59/100 High —
71 81090 Walsh CO 59/100 High —
72 80623 Gilcrest CO 58/100 High —
73 80809 Cascade CO 58/100 High 67/100
74 80862 Wild Horse CO 58/100 High —
75 81073 Springfield CO 58/100 High —
76 81233 Howard CO 58/100 High —
77 81324 Dove Creek CO 58/100 High —
78 81638 Hamilton CO 58/100 High —
79 80025 Eldorado Springs CO 57/100 High —
80 81023 Beulah CO 57/100 High —
81 81025 Boone CO 57/100 High —
82 81136 Hooper CO 57/100 High —
83 81422 Naturita CO 57/100 High —
84 80909 Colorado Springs CO 56/100 High 67/100
85 80122 Littleton CO 55/100 High 67/100
86 80705 Log Lane Village CO 55/100 High —
87 81006 Pueblo CO 55/100 High 53/100
88 81069 Rye CO 55/100 High —
89 81089 Walsenburg CO 55/100 High —
90 81419 Hotchkiss CO 55/100 High 55/100
91 80439 Evergreen CO 54/100 High 50/100
92 80517 Estes Park CO 54/100 High 50/100
93 80540 Lyons CO 54/100 High —
94 80905 Colorado Springs CO 54/100 High 67/100
95 80907 Colorado Springs CO 54/100 High 67/100
96 81001 Pueblo CO 54/100 High 53/100
97 81067 Rocky Ford CO 54/100 High —
98 80010 Aurora CO 53/100 High 67/100
99 81045 Haswell CO 53/100 High —
100 80305 Boulder CO 52/100 High 57/100

Methodology

Infrastructure stress rankings combine four data sources, each weighted equally (25%): (1) EPA Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA 2023) — state-level 20-year infrastructure need per capita for pipe replacement, treatment, and storage; (2) Census ACS housing vintage — percentage of homes built before 1980; (3) EPA SDWIS violation and enforcement data — system-level compliance history; (4) available Lead and Copper Rule indicators — service line material inventories and testing results. The combined value is a normalized 0-100 comparative stress indicator, not a measured pipe-failure probability or a forecast.

Data sources: EPA DWINS 2023, Census ACS, EPA SDWIS, Lead and Copper Rule data. Last updated: 2026-10-15.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the infrastructure stress indicator mean?

The indicator summarizes infrastructure funding gaps, housing age, violation history, and lead indicators on a 0-100 scale. It is a comparative heuristic, not a measured pipe-failure probability or a forecast of a water-main break.

How is infrastructure stress calculated?

The indicator combines four equally weighted factors: state-level infrastructure need per capita (EPA DWINSA 2023), housing vintage (Census ACS pre-1980 housing percentage), water system compliance history (EPA SDWIS), and available lead indicators.

What can homeowners do about aging infrastructure?

Ask your water utility or health department about testing your tap water, especially for lead. Check if your home has a lead service line through your water utility. If you use a filter, choose one certified under NSF/ANSI 53 for the specific contaminant, such as lead. Review your water system Consumer Confidence Report for violation history.

Does high stress mean my water is unsafe right now?

Not necessarily. Infrastructure stress is a screening indicator of long-term vulnerability, not a measurement of current contamination or a prediction of failure. For current conditions, check utility notices and the latest Consumer Confidence Report, and test your tap for contaminants of concern.

Explore More Rankings

How this ranking is calculated, data sources, and limitations: Rankings Methodology →


Related Rankings

Water Safety 2026 EPA violations and water quality scores Lead Risk 2026 Lead service-line indicators and system-level action-level exceedances Infrastructure 2026 Aging pipes, system age and remediation costs
Disclaimer: Rankings are based on EPA, FEMA, and federal agency data. They reflect historical patterns and risk indicators, not necessarily current conditions. For the most current information, contact your local water utility or request a Consumer Confidence Report.

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