Town · Colorado
Simla, Colorado
Simla, town, in Elbert County, Colorado. Simla had 587 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 601 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 423 (±124). GEOID 0870635.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
587
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 601 · ACS 2020-2024: 423 ±124
Median household income
$44,688
±$12,929 (90% margin)
Colorado: $95,470
Median home value
$251,400
±$33,429 (90% margin)
Colorado: $539,400
Median gross rent
$1,042
±$168 (90% margin)
Colorado: $1,761
Where is Simla and what county is it in?
Simla is a town in Elbert County, Colorado. It covers 0.7 square miles of land, 923 residents per square mile in 2020.
Simla is in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 10 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Simla, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 587 people lived in Simla on July 1, 2025, down 3.5% since 2020, while Colorado grew 4.1%. The 2020 Census counted 601 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 423 (±124).
| Measure | Simla | Elbert County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 423 ±124 | 27,874 | −275 |
| Households | 187 ±51 | 10,004 | −97 |
| Average household size | 2.16 ±0.34 | 2.78 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 208 ±54 | 10,510 | −122 |
Simla's population since 2000
From 663 in 2000 to 587 in 2025: down 11.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Simla as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Simla?
The median resident of Simla is 38.8 years old; 23.2% are under 18 and 16.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 85.8%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 9.9%.
| Measure | Simla | Elbert County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 ±5.4 | 45.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.2% ±9.6 pts | 21.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.1% ±9.5 pts | 18.8% | – |
| Male | 50.8% ±7.6 pts | 50.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0% ±9.6 pts | 9.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 85.8% ±8.1 pts | 82.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±9.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±9.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 4.3% ±5.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±9.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.9% ±7.3 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±9.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±9.6 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.0% ±3.2 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.4% ±10.2 pts | 9.5% | – |
| With a disability | 18.6% ±9.1 pts | 10.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 13.4% ±10.2 pts | 5.1% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.1% ±7.3 pts | 96.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 20.6% ±15.1 pts | 36.1% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.0% ±1.7 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 76.8% ±14.4 pts | 92.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±9.6 pts | 0.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Simla earn?
Half of Simla's 187 households earn less than $44,688 a year (±$12,929), against $132,685 in Elbert County and $95,470 in Colorado. In 2015-2019 it was $55,661 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 31.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Simla | Elbert County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,688 ±$12,929 | $132,685 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $95,807 ±$78,071 | $161,186 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,866 ±$35,080 | $59,151 | – |
| People below the poverty line | 31.0% ±16.1 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 48.0% ±31.1 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 30.5% ±17.2 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 100.0% ±20.2 pts | 97.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.2% ±11.7 pts | 94.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Simla?
Owners occupy 45.5% of Simla's occupied homes and renters 54.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $251,400 by its owner (±$33,429). The median renter pays $1,042 a month including utilities, and 43.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Simla | Elbert County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $251,400 ±$33,429 | $709,800 | +$71,965 |
| Median gross rent | $1,042 ±$168 | $1,311 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 43.1% ±24.4 pts | 32.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,833 ±$1,802 | $2,775 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 45.5% ±17.0 pts | 95.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 54.5% ±17.0 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Housing units | 208 ±54 | 10,510 | −122 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±33.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±32.7 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 66.3% ±15.6 pts | 94.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 21.6% ±12.2 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±18.4 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±18.4 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 26.4% ±14.3 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.0% ±20.2 pts | 1.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Simla building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Simla in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 3.4 per 1,000 residents against 5.6 across Colorado.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Simla work and get to work?
71.9% of Simla's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 19.3 minutes.
| Measure | Simla | Elbert County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.6% ±13.7 pts | 65.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±18.0 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 71.9% ±13.1 pts | 67.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.9% ±8.7 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±19.7 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±19.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 19.3% ±13.8 pts | 21.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.3 min ±5.7 | 41.3 min | −8.7 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Simla?
No census tract lies mostly in Simla; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9611Elbert County | 2,007 | $76,701 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Simla) · Census block assignment files
How does Simla compare with other places in Colorado?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Simla is the 12,552nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 184th-most populous of 272 in Colorado.
Simla is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 184th | 272 |
Simla's figures with every place in Colorado (CSV)
Every place in Colorado, sortable · Compare Simla with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Simla?
27 of the 57 figures for Simla on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Simla are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Simla.