Continental Divide, NM · standard
ZIP Code 87312
McKinley County, New Mexico - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 579
- 5/sq mi Low-density area
- $48,977
- Median income Below-median income area
- $78,000
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 29.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Continental Divide pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 13th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 4th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 5
- people per sq mi
- 98%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 87312 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 87312 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Continental Divide, McKinley County, New Mexico, home to just 579 residents across 128.7 square miles, a density of 5 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.
ZIP 87312 reports a modest median household income of $48,977 (17% below the average New Mexico ZIP), while per-capita income is $18,638. The poverty rate is 26.3%, 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 $78,000 (64% below the average New Mexico ZIP); owner occupancy is 97.7%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 29.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.1, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in McKinley County, so 87312 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 →
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 87312, Continental Divide, NM · 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
579
Population
128.7
Area (sq mi)
5
People / sq mi
Denver
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 87312?
44.1
Median Age
41.6%
Male
58.4%
Female
0.0%
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?
$48,977
Median Household Income
-17% vs state ZIP avg
$18,638
Per Capita Income
26.3%
Poverty Rate
6.4%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 87312 ranks among New Mexico ZIPs
Continental Divide, NM household income vs. every New Mexico ZIP code
Median household income among 265 reporting New Mexico ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$48,977 37th percentile higher than 37% of 265 New Mexico ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more New Mexico 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
228housing units
228
Total Housing Units
213
Occupied Units
15
Vacant Units
3.07
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$78,000
Median Home Value
-64% vs state ZIP avg
1990
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 6 business establishments in ZIP 87312, employing approximately 26 people with a combined annual payroll of $680,000.
6
Businesses
26
Employees
$680K
Annual Payroll
0
Industry Sectors
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 87312 vs 87347 →
ZIP 87312 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 87323
Thoreau (87323)
4,558 residents
- 87316 1,304
Fort Wingate (87316)
1,304 residents
- 87312 579
Continental Divide (87312)
579 residents
- 87347 309
Jamestown (87347)
309 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 87312 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 87312 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 87316
Fort Wingate (87316)
$84,875 median income
- 87323
Thoreau (87323)
$51,616 median income
- 87312
Continental Divide (87312)
$48,977 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 87312 ranks #3 of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 87312, both outside NM so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in McKinley County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 87312 in?
ZIP code 87312 (Continental Divide) is located in McKinley County, New Mexico. McKinley County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mckinley-nm.
What is the population of ZIP code 87312?
ZIP code 87312 in Continental Divide, NM has a population of 579 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 87312?
The median household income in ZIP 87312 is $48,977, which is 36% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 87312?
The median home value in ZIP 87312 is $78,000, which is 72% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 87312?
The largest racial group in ZIP 87312 is American Indian or Alaska Native at 79.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 87312?
ZIP code 87312 has 6 business establishments employing approximately 26 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 87312?
In ZIP code 87312, 56.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 29.3% 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 87312?
In ZIP code 87312, approximately 97.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 2.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 87312?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 87312 is 26.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 87312's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 87312 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Continental Divide, NM ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.