Zip code 88312: Alto, New Mexico
Boundary is the Census Bureau's ZIP Code Tabulation Area, which closely tracks the postal delivery area.
About 88312
88312 is a rural zip code in Alto, New Mexico (Lincoln County), covering 71 sq mi of land. About 3,287 people live here, or 46 per square mile. The median resident is 59.7 years old, compared with 38.9 nationally.
The median household earns $80,345 a year, close to the national median of $80,734. 8.1% of residents live below the poverty line (U.S.: 12.5%). A typical home is valued at $304,100, or 3.8 years of median household income (U.S.: 4.1 years), which makes homes about as affordable as the national average for local earners. 95% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners, and renters pay a median of $1,328 a month.
44% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S.: 36%). Commuters average 30.6 minutes each way, and 13% of workers work from home. The most common jobs among working residents are in food service; construction and repair; and healthcare. 30% of them are self-employed (U.S.: 10%).
How 88312 compares
- Median age59.799thU.S. 38.9 · NM 39.463rd of 314 in NM
- Homeownership rate94.9%99thStrengthU.S. 65.2% · NM 70%78th of 311 in NM
- Housing vacancy52.8%99thU.S. 10.1% · NM 12.5%21st of 311 in NM
- 99thU.S. 17.2% · NM 19.3%67th of 315 in NM
- 99thU.S. 10% · NM 10.2%36th of 308 in NM
- Unemployment rate10.3%95thWeaknessU.S. 5.2% · NM 6%60th of 309 in NM
- Broadband access97.3%94thStrengthU.S. 91% · NM 86.5%29th of 311 in NM
- Veterans9.4%87thU.S. 6.2% · NM 7.9%107th of 315 in NM
- Government workers18.7%80thU.S. 14.5% · NM 23.4%204th of 308 in NM
- Per capita income$54,09978thU.S. $44,673 · NM $36,21823rd of 312 in NM
- Healthcare workers11.6%78thU.S. 9.7% · NM 10.3%86th of 308 in NM
- 78thU.S. 0.483 · NM 0.47783rd of 307 in NM
- Average commute30.6 min77thU.S. 26.4 min · NM 23.5 min73rd of 235 in NM
- 72ndU.S. 35.7% · NM 31%44th of 315 in NM
- Uninsured rate7.5%55thU.S. 8.4% · NM 9.6%165th of 312 in NM
- Median household income$80,34551stU.S. $80,734 · NM $64,05944th of 256 in NM
- Work from home12.8%50thU.S. 15.1% · NM 12.2%123rd of 307 in NM
- Diversity index47.648thU.S. 61.4 · NM 62.7138th of 315 in NM
- Median gross rent$1,32845thU.S. $1,413 · NM $1,06724th of 173 in NM
- Median home value$304,10044thU.S. $332,700 · NM $248,10047th of 250 in NM
- Median earnings per worker$43,63435thU.S. $49,666 · NM $41,75891st of 278 in NM
- Poverty rate8.1%32ndU.S. 12.5% · NM 17.8%235th of 311 in NM
- 26thU.S. 14.1% · NM 9.4%129th of 315 in NM
- Residents under 1814.9%8thU.S. 22% · NM 21.7%208th of 315 in NM
- Population density46/sq mi7thU.S. 95/sq mi · NM 18/sq mi90th of 315 in NM
- Population3,2875thU.S. 334,922,499 · NM 2,120,24694th of 315 in NM
- 1stStrengthU.S. 51.1% · NM 50.2%218th of 236 in NM
- 1stU.S. 3.8% · NM 2.7%202nd of 308 in NM
| Measure | 88312 | Lincoln | NM | U.S. | National percentile | Rank in NM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.7 | 52.4 | 39.4 | 38.9 | 63rd of 314 | |
| Homeownership rateStrength | 94.9% | 76.8% | 70% | 65.2% | 78th of 311 | |
| Housing vacancy | 52.8% | 44% | 12.5% | 10.1% | 21st of 311 | |
| Residents 65 and older | 37% | 31.3% | 19.3% | 17.2% | 67th of 315 | |
| Self-employed workers | 30.1% | 24.1% | 10.2% | 10% | 36th of 308 | |
| Unemployment rateWeakness | 10.3% | 5.1% | 6% | 5.2% | 60th of 309 | |
| Broadband accessStrength | 97.3% | 84.7% | 86.5% | 91% | 29th of 311 | |
| Veterans | 9.4% | 10.2% | 7.9% | 6.2% | 107th of 315 | |
| Government workers | 18.7% | 16.5% | 23.4% | 14.5% | 204th of 308 | |
| Per capita income | $54,099 | $37,148 | $36,218 | $44,673 | 23rd of 312 | |
| Healthcare workers | 11.6% | 12.6% | 10.3% | 9.7% | 86th of 308 | |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 0.474 | 0.489 | 0.477 | 0.483 | 83rd of 307 | |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 20 min | 23.5 min | 26.4 min | 73rd of 235 | |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.3% | 32.2% | 31% | 35.7% | 44th of 315 | |
| Uninsured rate | 7.5% | 9.6% | 9.6% | 8.4% | 165th of 312 | |
| Median household income | $80,345 | $53,303 | $64,059 | $80,734 | 44th of 256 | |
| Work from home | 12.8% | 11.1% | 12.2% | 15.1% | 123rd of 307 | |
| Diversity index | 47.6 | 52.8 | 62.7 | 61.4 | 138th of 315 | |
| Median gross rent | $1,328 | $956 | $1,067 | $1,413 | 24th of 173 | |
| Median home value | $304,100 | $233,200 | $248,100 | $332,700 | 47th of 250 | |
| Median earnings per worker | $43,634 | $36,967 | $41,758 | $49,666 | 91st of 278 | |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 19.3% | 17.8% | 12.5% | 235th of 311 | |
| Foreign-born residents | 4.4% | 3.8% | 9.4% | 14.1% | 129th of 315 | |
| Residents under 18 | 14.9% | 16.7% | 21.7% | 22% | 208th of 315 | |
| Population density | 46/sq mi | 4/sq mi | 18/sq mi | 95/sq mi | 90th of 315 | |
| Population | 3,287 | 20,224 | 2,120,246 | 334,922,499 | 94th of 315 | |
| Rent-burdened rentersStrength | 0% | 51.8% | 50.2% | 51.1% | 218th of 236 | |
| Tech workers | 0% | 0.6% | 2.7% | 3.8% | 202nd 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
- White68%
- Black0.5%
- Hispanic25%
- Asian1%
- Native American4%
- Pacific Islander0%
- Other0%
- Multiracial0.8%
Language spoken at home (households)
Households
- Households
- 1,502
- Average household size
- 2.2
- Family households
- 69.6%
- Married couples
- 57.9%
- Living alone
- 23.1%
- Veterans (of adults)
- 9.4%
- Male / female
- 49% / 51%
Income and poverty
Household income distribution
Median household income
Housing
Median home value
Median gross rent
Types of housing
- Housing units
- 3,180
- Owner-occupied
- 94.9%
- Vacant
- 52.8%
- Median year built
- 1998
- Median rooms
- 5.7
- Renters paying 30%+ of income
- 0%
- Renters paying 50%+ of income
- 0%
- Home value to income
- 3.8× (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 | 88312 | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Management, business, science and arts | $58,621 | $74,888 |
| Service | $30,428 | $26,804 |
| Sales and office | $32,893 | $40,476 |
| Construction and maintenance | $52,313 | $49,199 |
| Production and transportation | $28,984 | $39,989 |
Education, internet and health coverage
Highest education (adults 25+)
- High school graduate or higher
- 95.9%
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 44.3%
- Graduate or professional degree
- 22.8%
- Households with broadband
- 97.3%
- Cable, fiber or DSL
- 70.1%
- No internet access
- 2.1%
- Without health insurance
- 7.5%
- Limited-English households
- 0.7%
Geography
- City (USPS)
- Alto
- State
- New Mexico
- County
- Lincoln County
- Center point
- 33.4319° N, 105.6440° W
- Land area
- 71 sq mi
- Water area
- under 0.1 sq mi
- Time zone
- Mountain Time (UTC-7, UTC-6 in summer)
- Zip type
- Residential delivery area
Cities and towns within this zip
- Ruidoso4% of zip
Census places overlapping the zip's area. Mail may use a different city name than the municipality.
Zip codes near 88312
| Zip | City | Distance | IncomeMedian income |
|---|---|---|---|
| 88355 | Ruidoso, NM | 5 mi | — |
| 88345 | Ruidoso, NM | 5.7 mi | $53,971 |
| 88323 | Fort Stanton, NM | 5.9 mi | — |
| 88324 | Glencoe, NM | 6.8 mi | — |
| 88346 | Ruidoso Downs, NM | 8.3 mi | $33,594 |
| 88341 | Nogal, NM | 12 mi | $48,393 |
| 88348 | San Patricio, NM | 14 mi | $86,985 |
| 88338 | Lincoln, NM | 17 mi | $59,276 |
| 88340 | Mescalero, NM | 18 mi | $36,927 |
| 88336 | Hondo, NM | 22 mi | — |
| 88301 | Carrizozo, NM | 25 mi | $43,900 |
| 88314 | Bent, NM | 26 mi | — |
Zip codes like 88312 elsewhere
Questions about 88312
What city is zip code 88312?
88312 is assigned to Alto, New Mexico. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.
What county is 88312 in?
88312 is in Lincoln County, New Mexico.
What is the population of 88312?
About 3,287 people live in 88312, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
What time zone is 88312 in?
88312 is in Mountain Time.
What is the median household income in 88312?
The median household income in 88312 is $80,345.
What zip codes are near 88312?
The closest zip codes to 88312 are 88355, 88345, 88323, 88324, 88346.
Demographic figures are 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 88312, from the U.S. Census Bureau. Small areas have wide margins of error. How we build these numbers.