PlainZIP

Chinle, AZ · standard

ZIP Code 86503

Apache County, Arizona - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

10,714
5/sq mi
$36,321
Median income
$37,800
Median home value
16.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Chinle pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

4th pct
household income, US ZIPs
0th pct
home value, US ZIPs
5
people per sq mi
73%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 86503 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 86503 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Chinle, Apache County, Arizona, home to 10,714 residents across 2142.8 square miles, a density of 5 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.

ZIP 86503 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $36,321 (50% below the Arizona average), while per-capita income is $19,434. The poverty rate stands at 32.5% and the unemployment rate at 9.1%. On housing, the median home value is $37,800 (89% below the state average) with median rent at $581 per month, and 72.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 16.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.6, and the average commute is -. Use the benchmarks above to see where 86503 sits relative to Arizona and the national baseline rather than viewing the numbers in isolation.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 86503

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chinle, AZ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 86503.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 86503, Chinle, AZ · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

10,714

Population

2142.8

Area (sq mi)

5

People / sq mi

Denver

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 86503?

35.6

Median Age

51.7%

Male

48.3%

Female

2.8%

Foreign-Born

White 2.3%
African American 1.0%
Asian 2.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 90.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.0%
Hispanic or Latino 1.8%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$36,321

Median Household Income

-50% vs state

$19,434

Per Capita Income

32.5%

Poverty Rate

9.1%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 86503 ranks nationally

Chinle, AZ household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$36,321 4th percentile higher than 4% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 47.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

3,966

Total Housing Units

3,206

Occupied Units

760

Vacant Units

3.03

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 72.8%
Renter 27.2%

$37,800

Median Home Value

-89% vs state

$581

Median Rent

1990

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 44 business establishments in ZIP 86503, employing approximately 1,110 people with a combined annual payroll of $62,847,000.

44

Businesses

1,110

Employees

$62.8M

Annual Payroll

4

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 11 25.0%
Health care and social assistance 9 20.4%
Accommodation and food services 6 13.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 4 9.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

More ZIP Codes in Apache County

86505 standard
Ganado, AZ
Pop: 7,682
86504 standard
Fort Defiance, AZ
Pop: 6,589
85925 standard
Eagar, AZ
Pop: 4,893
86515 standard
Window Rock, AZ
Pop: 4,479
85936 standard
Saint Johns, AZ
Pop: 4,293
86511 standard
Saint Michaels, AZ
Pop: 3,694

Related Areas

Apache County Chinle, AZ Arizona

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 86503 in? ▼
ZIP code 86503 (Chinle) is located in Apache County, Arizona. Apache County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/apache-az.
What is the population of ZIP code 86503? ▼
ZIP code 86503 in Chinle, AZ has a population of 10,714 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 86503? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 86503 is $36,321, which is 52% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 86503? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 86503 is $37,800, which is 86% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 86503? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 86503 is American Indian or Alaska Native at 90.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 86503? ▼
ZIP code 86503 has 44 business establishments employing approximately 1,110 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 86503? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 86503 are: Retail trade (11), Health care and social assistance (9), Accommodation and food services (6). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 86503? ▼
In ZIP code 86503, 47.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 86503? ▼
In ZIP code 86503, approximately 72.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 86503? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 86503 is 32.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.