Zip code 87521: Chamisal, New Mexico
Boundary is the Census Bureau's ZIP Code Tabulation Area, which closely tracks the postal delivery area.
About 87521
87521 is a rural zip code in Chamisal, New Mexico (Rio Arriba County), covering 101 sq mi of land. About 1,261 people live here, or 13 per square mile. The median resident is 46.5 years old, compared with 38.9 nationally.
The median household earns $39,718 a year, about 49% of the national median of $80,734. 12.3% of residents live below the poverty line (U.S.: 12.5%). A typical home is valued at $218,600, or 5.5 years of median household income (U.S.: 4.1 years), which makes homes relatively expensive for local earners. 87% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners, and renters pay a median of $945 a month.
13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S.: 36%). Commuters average 47.3 minutes each way, and 6% of workers work from home. The most common jobs among working residents are in construction and repair; office and administrative support; and cleaning and personal care. 84% of households speak a language other than English at home, most often Spanish.
How 87521 compares
- Average commute47.3 min99thWeaknessU.S. 26.4 min · NM 23.5 min17th of 235 in NM
- 97thU.S. 17.2% · NM 19.3%89th of 315 in NM
- Housing vacancy24.5%96thU.S. 10.1% · NM 12.5%109th of 311 in NM
- Government workers26.3%96thU.S. 14.5% · NM 23.4%126th of 308 in NM
- 93rdWeaknessU.S. 0.483 · NM 0.47738th of 307 in NM
- Homeownership rate86.9%92ndStrengthU.S. 65.2% · NM 70%116th of 311 in NM
- Median age46.590thU.S. 38.9 · NM 39.4135th of 314 in NM
- Median earnings per worker$61,11377thU.S. $49,666 · NM $41,75831st of 278 in NM
- Poverty rate12.3%57thU.S. 12.5% · NM 17.8%196th of 311 in NM
- Per capita income$37,22841stU.S. $44,673 · NM $36,218100th of 312 in NM
- Veterans4.1%27thU.S. 6.2% · NM 7.9%215th of 315 in NM
- 26thU.S. 9.7% · NM 10.3%162nd of 308 in NM
- Median home value$218,60025thU.S. $332,700 · NM $248,10098th of 250 in NM
- Uninsured rate3.6%18thStrengthU.S. 8.4% · NM 9.6%224th of 312 in NM
- 17thU.S. $1,413 · NM $1,06779th of 173 in NM
- Diversity index23.416thU.S. 61.4 · NM 62.7241st of 315 in NM
- Work from home6.4%13thU.S. 15.1% · NM 12.2%190th of 307 in NM
- 12thU.S. 14.1% · NM 9.4%175th of 315 in NM
- Broadband access82.1%7thWeaknessU.S. 91% · NM 86.5%157th of 311 in NM
- 6thWeaknessU.S. 35.7% · NM 31%214th of 315 in NM
- Residents under 1812.4%4thU.S. 22% · NM 21.7%225th of 315 in NM
- Median household income$39,7183rdWeaknessU.S. $80,734 · NM $64,059204th of 256 in NM
- Population1,2612ndU.S. 334,922,499 · NM 2,120,246161st of 315 in NM
- 2ndStrengthU.S. 51.1% · NM 50.2%188th of 236 in NM
- Population density13/sq mi1stU.S. 95/sq mi · NM 18/sq mi149th of 315 in NM
- 1stStrengthU.S. 5.2% · NM 6%209th of 309 in NM
- 1stU.S. 3.8% · NM 2.7%291st of 308 in NM
- 1stU.S. 10% · NM 10.2%250th of 308 in NM
| Measure | 87521 | Rio Arriba | NM | U.S. | National percentile | Rank in NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average commuteWeakness | 47.3 min | 30.1 min | 23.5 min | 26.4 min | 17th of 235 | |
| Residents 65 and older | 32% | 21.8% | 19.3% | 17.2% | 89th of 315 | |
| Housing vacancy | 24.5% | 21.2% | 12.5% | 10.1% | 109th of 311 | |
| Government workers | 26.3% | 40% | 23.4% | 14.5% | 126th of 308 | |
| Income inequality (Gini)Weakness | 0.518 | 0.456 | 0.477 | 0.483 | 38th of 307 | |
| Homeownership rateStrength | 86.9% | 80% | 70% | 65.2% | 116th of 311 | |
| Median age | 46.5 | 42 | 39.4 | 38.9 | 135th of 314 | |
| Median earnings per worker | $61,113 | $41,576 | $41,758 | $49,666 | 31st of 278 | |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 18.2% | 17.8% | 12.5% | 196th of 311 | |
| Per capita income | $37,228 | $31,887 | $36,218 | $44,673 | 100th of 312 | |
| Veterans | 4.1% | 5.6% | 7.9% | 6.2% | 215th of 315 | |
| Healthcare workers | 7.9% | 8.3% | 10.3% | 9.7% | 162nd of 308 | |
| Median home value | $218,600 | $243,700 | $248,100 | $332,700 | 98th of 250 | |
| Uninsured rateStrength | 3.6% | 8.7% | 9.6% | 8.4% | 224th of 312 | |
| Median gross rent | $945 | $740 | $1,067 | $1,413 | 79th of 173 | |
| Diversity index | 23.4 | 50.5 | 62.7 | 61.4 | 241st of 315 | |
| Work from home | 6.4% | 10.2% | 12.2% | 15.1% | 190th of 307 | |
| Foreign-born residents | 2% | 6.3% | 9.4% | 14.1% | 175th of 315 | |
| Broadband accessWeakness | 82.1% | 75.3% | 86.5% | 91% | 157th of 311 | |
| Bachelor's degree or higherWeakness | 12.8% | 19% | 31% | 35.7% | 214th of 315 | |
| Residents under 18 | 12.4% | 22.5% | 21.7% | 22% | 225th of 315 | |
| Median household incomeWeakness | $39,718 | $57,155 | $64,059 | $80,734 | 204th of 256 | |
| Population | 1,261 | 40,070 | 2,120,246 | 334,922,499 | 161st of 315 | |
| Rent-burdened rentersStrength | 23.5% | 34.4% | 50.2% | 51.1% | 188th of 236 | |
| Population density | 13/sq mi | 7/sq mi | 18/sq mi | 95/sq mi | 149th of 315 | |
| Unemployment rateStrength | 0.3% | 4.9% | 6% | 5.2% | 209th of 309 | |
| Tech workers | 0% | 2.5% | 2.7% | 3.8% | 291st of 308 | |
| Self-employed workers | 0.8% | 7.4% | 10.2% | 10% | 250th of 308 |
The percentile is the share of Americans who live in a zip code with a lower value, so the 50th percentile is typical. Rank 1 is the highest value in the state. Both include zip codes with at least 100 residents. Strengths and weaknesses mark measures in the best or worst fifth nationally, where higher or lower is clearly better (income, poverty, education, commute, broadband, insurance and similar). Measures like age or density are left unmarked.
People
Age
Race and ethnicity
- White10%
- Black0%
- Hispanic87%
- Asian2%
- Native American1%
- Pacific Islander0%
- Other0%
- Multiracial0.2%
Language spoken at home (households)
Households
- Households
- 375
- Average household size
- 3.4
- Family households
- 59.2%
- Married couples
- 34.1%
- Living alone
- 31.5%
- Veterans (of adults)
- 4.1%
- Male / female
- 37% / 63%
Income and poverty
Household income distribution
Median household income
Housing
Median home value
Median gross rent
Types of housing
- Housing units
- 497
- Owner-occupied
- 86.9%
- Vacant
- 24.5%
- Median year built
- 1972
- Median rooms
- 4.5
- Renters paying 30%+ of income
- 23.5%
- Renters paying 50%+ of income
- 20.6%
- Home value to income
- 5.5× (U.S. 4.1×)
Work and commute
How people get to work
Commute time (one way)
Jobs and careers
Occupations
Industries
Median earnings by type of work
| Type of work | 87521 | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Management, business, science and arts | $61,442 | $74,888 |
| Service | $70,793 | $26,804 |
| Sales and office | $46,178 | $40,476 |
| Construction and maintenance | $61,239 | $49,199 |
| Production and transportation | $46,875 | $39,989 |
Education, internet and health coverage
Highest education (adults 25+)
- High school graduate or higher
- 82.7%
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 12.8%
- Graduate or professional degree
- 3.2%
- Households with broadband
- 82.1%
- Cable, fiber or DSL
- 58.1%
- No internet access
- 17.9%
- Without health insurance
- 3.6%
- Limited-English households
- 4.8%
Geography
- City (USPS)
- Chamisal
- State
- New Mexico
- County
- Rio Arriba County
- Center point
- 36.0180° N, 105.6124° W
- Land area
- 101 sq mi
- Water area
- under 0.1 sq mi
- Time zone
- Mountain Time (UTC-7, UTC-6 in summer)
- Zip type
- Residential delivery area
87521 spans 2 counties
- Rio Arriba County67% of land
- Taos County34% of land
Cities and towns within this zip
- Ojo Sarco (unincorporated)3% of zip
- Chamisal (unincorporated)2% of zip
Census places overlapping the zip's area. Mail may use a different city name than the municipality.
Zip codes near 87521
| Zip | City | Distance | IncomeMedian income |
|---|---|---|---|
| 87543 | Llano, NM | 6.5 mi | — |
| 87579 | Vadito, NM | 6.5 mi | $66,244 |
| 87732 | Mora, NM | 8.7 mi | $69,421 |
| 87578 | Truchas, NM | 9 mi | — |
| 87715 | Cleveland, NM | 11 mi | — |
| 87576 | Trampas, NM · PO box | 11 mi | — |
| 87522 | Chimayo, NM | 13 mi | $58,620 |
| 87723 | Holman, NM | 14 mi | — |
| 87742 | Rociada, NM | 14 mi | $59,505 |
| 87523 | Cordova, NM | 14 mi | $23,395 |
| 87527 | Dixon, NM | 16 mi | $65,461 |
| 87553 | Penasco, NM | 16 mi | $48,906 |
Zip codes like 87521 elsewhere
Questions about 87521
What city is zip code 87521?
87521 is assigned to Chamisal, New Mexico. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.
What county is 87521 in?
87521 is mostly in Rio Arriba County, but it extends into 1 other county.
What is the population of 87521?
About 1,261 people live in 87521, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
What time zone is 87521 in?
87521 is in Mountain Time.
What is the median household income in 87521?
The median household income in 87521 is $39,718.
What zip codes are near 87521?
The closest zip codes to 87521 are 87543, 87579, 87732, 87578, 87715.
Demographic figures are 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 87521, from the U.S. Census Bureau. Small areas have wide margins of error. How we build these numbers.