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 Low-density area
- $36,321
- Median income Below-median income area
- $37,800
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 16.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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
- Lowest
- 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 average Arizona ZIP), while per-capita income is $19,434. The poverty rate is 32.5%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $37,800 (89% below the average Arizona ZIP), and median rent is $581; owner occupancy is 72.8%.
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 -. No nearby ZIP peer set is available for this delivery area, so the Arizona and national benchmarks above are the appropriate context for 86503.
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.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
11 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
9 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
6 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 4
Professional, scientific, and technical services
4 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, 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
Who lives in ZIP 86503?
35.6
Median Age
51.7%
Male
48.3%
Female
2.8%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$19,434
Per Capita Income
32.5%
Poverty Rate
9.1%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 86503 ranks among Arizona ZIPs
Chinle, AZ household income vs. every Arizona ZIP code
Median household income among 372 reporting Arizona ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$36,321 8th percentile higher than 8% of 372 Arizona ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Arizona 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
3,966housing units
3,966
Total Housing Units
3,206
Occupied Units
760
Vacant Units
3.03
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$37,800
Median Home Value
-89% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 86503, both outside AZ so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (10,714 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Apache County
Related Areas
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.
Related
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What to do with ZIP 86503's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 86503 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Chinle, AZ ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.