Zip code 88253: Lake Arthur, New Mexico
Boundary is the Census Bureau's ZIP Code Tabulation Area, which closely tracks the postal delivery area.
About 88253
88253 is a rural zip code in Lake Arthur, New Mexico (Chaves County), covering 218 sq mi of land. About 901 people live here, or 4 per square mile. The median resident is 34 years old, compared with 38.9 nationally.
The median household earns $85,813 a year, close to the national median of $80,734. 8% of residents live below the poverty line (U.S.: 12.5%). A typical home is valued at $168,300, or 2.0 years of median household income (U.S.: 4.1 years), which makes homes relatively affordable for local earners. 68% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners, and renters pay a median of $1,079 a month.
29% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S.: 36%). Commuters average 22.1 minutes each way, and 5% of workers work from home. The most common jobs among working residents are in construction and repair; management; and cleaning and personal care. 20% of them are self-employed (U.S.: 10%). 33% of households speak a language other than English at home, most often Spanish.
How 88253 compares
- 98thU.S. 10% · NM 10.2%70th of 308 in NM
- Veterans9.7%88thU.S. 6.2% · NM 7.9%96th of 315 in NM
- 87thWeaknessU.S. 5.2% · NM 6%82nd of 309 in NM
- Housing vacancy12.5%80thU.S. 10.1% · NM 12.5%217th of 311 in NM
- Government workers17.6%75thU.S. 14.5% · NM 23.4%211th of 308 in NM
- Residents under 1824.9%74thU.S. 22% · NM 21.7%86th of 315 in NM
- Median earnings per worker$59,43874thU.S. $49,666 · NM $41,75836th of 278 in NM
- Diversity index60.673rdU.S. 61.4 · NM 62.738th of 315 in NM
- Uninsured rate9.1%66thU.S. 8.4% · NM 9.6%139th of 312 in NM
- Median household income$85,81357thU.S. $80,734 · NM $64,05930th of 256 in NM
- Broadband access92.1%50thU.S. 91% · NM 86.5%56th of 311 in NM
- Homeownership rate67.9%48thU.S. 65.2% · NM 70%239th of 311 in NM
- Per capita income$39,05347thU.S. $44,673 · NM $36,21884th of 312 in NM
- 45thU.S. 35.7% · NM 31%96th of 315 in NM
- 40thU.S. 14.1% · NM 9.4%87th of 315 in NM
- 34thU.S. 17.2% · NM 19.3%236th of 315 in NM
- 32ndU.S. 12.5% · NM 17.8%237th of 311 in NM
- Median gross rent$1,07927thU.S. $1,413 · NM $1,06755th of 173 in NM
- Average commute22.1 min24thU.S. 26.4 min · NM 23.5 min162nd of 235 in NM
- 16thU.S. 38.9 · NM 39.4255th of 314 in NM
- Median home value$168,30014thU.S. $332,700 · NM $248,100141st of 250 in NM
- 13thStrengthU.S. 0.483 · NM 0.477216th of 307 in NM
- Work from home4.8%7thU.S. 15.1% · NM 12.2%206th of 307 in NM
- 6thU.S. 9.7% · NM 10.3%187th of 308 in NM
- Population9011stU.S. 334,922,499 · NM 2,120,246188th of 315 in NM
- Population density4/sq mi1stU.S. 95/sq mi · NM 18/sq mi226th of 315 in NM
- 1stStrengthU.S. 51.1% · NM 50.2%211th of 236 in NM
- 1stU.S. 3.8% · NM 2.7%159th of 308 in NM
| Measure | 88253 | Chaves | NM | U.S. | National percentile | Rank in NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-employed workers | 20.1% | 7.4% | 10.2% | 10% | 70th of 308 | |
| Veterans | 9.7% | 6.5% | 7.9% | 6.2% | 96th of 315 | |
| Unemployment rateWeakness | 8% | 5% | 6% | 5.2% | 82nd of 309 | |
| Housing vacancy | 12.5% | 11.7% | 12.5% | 10.1% | 217th of 311 | |
| Government workers | 17.6% | 19.6% | 23.4% | 14.5% | 211th of 308 | |
| Residents under 18 | 24.9% | 24.6% | 21.7% | 22% | 86th of 315 | |
| Median earnings per worker | $59,438 | $35,967 | $41,758 | $49,666 | 36th of 278 | |
| Diversity index | 60.6 | 52.8 | 62.7 | 61.4 | 38th of 315 | |
| Uninsured rate | 9.1% | 10.8% | 9.6% | 8.4% | 139th of 312 | |
| Median household income | $85,813 | $52,938 | $64,059 | $80,734 | 30th of 256 | |
| Broadband access | 92.1% | 83% | 86.5% | 91% | 56th of 311 | |
| Homeownership rate | 67.9% | 71.3% | 70% | 65.2% | 239th of 311 | |
| Per capita income | $39,053 | $28,881 | $36,218 | $44,673 | 84th of 312 | |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.3% | 17.9% | 31% | 35.7% | 96th of 315 | |
| Foreign-born residents | 7.4% | 11.3% | 9.4% | 14.1% | 87th of 315 | |
| Residents 65 and older | 14.5% | 16.5% | 19.3% | 17.2% | 236th of 315 | |
| Poverty rate | 8% | 24.3% | 17.8% | 12.5% | 237th of 311 | |
| Median gross rent | $1,079 | $867 | $1,067 | $1,413 | 55th of 173 | |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 19.3 min | 23.5 min | 26.4 min | 162nd of 235 | |
| Median age | 34 | 37.2 | 39.4 | 38.9 | 255th of 314 | |
| Median home value | $168,300 | $156,400 | $248,100 | $332,700 | 141st of 250 | |
| Income inequality (Gini)Strength | 0.389 | 0.498 | 0.477 | 0.483 | 216th of 307 | |
| Work from home | 4.8% | 5.4% | 12.2% | 15.1% | 206th of 307 | |
| Healthcare workers | 5.7% | 10.7% | 10.3% | 9.7% | 187th of 308 | |
| Population | 901 | 64,217 | 2,120,246 | 334,922,499 | 188th of 315 | |
| Population density | 4/sq mi | 11/sq mi | 18/sq mi | 95/sq mi | 226th of 315 | |
| Rent-burdened rentersStrength | 0% | 47.8% | 50.2% | 51.1% | 211th of 236 | |
| Tech workers | 0% | 0.7% | 2.7% | 3.8% | 159th 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
- White42%
- Black0.9%
- Hispanic45%
- Asian0%
- Native American8%
- Pacific Islander0%
- Other0%
- Multiracial3%
Language spoken at home (households)
Households
- Households
- 315
- Average household size
- 2.9
- Family households
- 75.6%
- Married couples
- 49.5%
- Living alone
- 21.3%
- Veterans (of adults)
- 9.7%
- Male / female
- 48% / 52%
Income and poverty
Household income distribution
Median household income
Housing
Median home value
Median gross rent
Types of housing
- Housing units
- 360
- Owner-occupied
- 67.9%
- Vacant
- 12.5%
- Median year built
- 1993
- Median rooms
- 5.2
- Renters paying 30%+ of income
- 0%
- Renters paying 50%+ of income
- 0%
- Home value to income
- 2.0× (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 | 88253 | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Management, business, science and arts | $67,292 | $74,888 |
| Service | $23,958 | $26,804 |
| Sales and office | $42,031 | $40,476 |
| Construction and maintenance | $59,813 | $49,199 |
| Production and transportation | $16,875 | $39,989 |
Education, internet and health coverage
Highest education (adults 25+)
- High school graduate or higher
- 90%
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 29.3%
- Graduate or professional degree
- 12.1%
- Households with broadband
- 92.1%
- Cable, fiber or DSL
- 58.7%
- No internet access
- 7.3%
- Without health insurance
- 9.1%
- Limited-English households
- 5.1%
Geography
- City (USPS)
- Lake Arthur
- State
- New Mexico
- County
- Chaves County
- Center point
- 32.9838° N, 104.5506° W
- Land area
- 218 sq mi
- Water area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Time zone
- Mountain Time (UTC-7, UTC-6 in summer)
- Zip type
- Residential delivery area
88253 spans 2 counties
- Chaves County74% of land
- Eddy County26% of land
Zip codes near 88253
| Zip | City | Distance | IncomeMedian income |
|---|---|---|---|
| 88230 | Dexter, NM | 19 mi | $43,469 |
| 88211 | Artesia, NM · PO box | 21 mi | — |
| 88202 | Roswell, NM · PO box | 23 mi | — |
| 88210 | Artesia, NM | 24 mi | $79,632 |
| 88232 | Hagerman, NM | 24 mi | $65,000 |
| 88254 | Lakewood, NM | 26 mi | — |
| 88250 | Hope, NM | 31 mi | $83,250 |
| 88343 | Picacho, NM | 35 mi | — |
| 88203 | Roswell, NM | 35 mi | $42,207 |
| 88339 | Mayhill, NM | 45 mi | $57,375 |
| 88351 | Tinnie, NM | 46 mi | — |
| 88220 | Carlsbad, NM | 47 mi | $78,162 |
Questions about 88253
What city is zip code 88253?
88253 is assigned to Lake Arthur, New Mexico. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.
What county is 88253 in?
88253 is mostly in Chaves County, but it extends into 1 other county.
What is the population of 88253?
About 901 people live in 88253, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
What time zone is 88253 in?
88253 is in Mountain Time.
What is the median household income in 88253?
The median household income in 88253 is $85,813.
What zip codes are near 88253?
The closest zip codes to 88253 are 88230, 88211, 88202, 88210, 88232.
Demographic figures are 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 88253, from the U.S. Census Bureau. Small areas have wide margins of error. How we build these numbers.