Shiprock, NM · standard
ZIP Code 87420
San Juan County, New Mexico - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 11,967
- 9/sq mi Low-density area
- $36,335
- Median income Below-median income area
- $103,900
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 10.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Shiprock pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.
- 4th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 11th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 9
- people per sq mi
- 59%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 87420 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 87420 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Shiprock, San Juan County, New Mexico, home to 11,967 residents across 1391.5 square miles, a density of 9 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.
ZIP 87420 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $36,335 (39% below the average New Mexico ZIP), while per-capita income is $19,560. Economic pressure is pronounced: 31.7% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 15.5%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $103,900 (52% below the average New Mexico ZIP), and median rent is $692; owner occupancy is 58.5%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.4, and the average commute is 32 minutes. No nearby ZIP peer set is available for this delivery area, so the New Mexico and national benchmarks above are the appropriate context for 87420.
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 87420
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Shiprock, NM
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 87420.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
11 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
8 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
7 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 4
Other services (except public administration)
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 87420, Shiprock, 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
11,967
Population
1391.5
Area (sq mi)
9
People / sq mi
Denver
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 87420?
36.4
Median Age
50.6%
Male
49.4%
Female
0.6%
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?
$36,335
Median Household Income
-39% vs state ZIP avg
$19,560
Per Capita Income
31.7%
Poverty Rate
15.5%
Unemployment Rate
32.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 87420 ranks among New Mexico ZIPs
Shiprock, 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)
$36,335 16th percentile higher than 16% 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
3,938housing units
3,938
Total Housing Units
3,252
Occupied Units
686
Vacant Units
3.23
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$103,900
Median Home Value
-52% vs state ZIP avg
$692
Median Rent
1988
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 39 business establishments in ZIP 87420, employing approximately 1,755 people with a combined annual payroll of $141,558,000.
39
Businesses
1,755
Employees
$141.6M
Annual Payroll
4
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 11 | 28.2% |
| Retail trade | 8 | 20.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 7 | 17.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 10.3% |
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 87420, both outside NM so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (11,967 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in San Juan County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 87420 in?
ZIP code 87420 (Shiprock) is located in San Juan County, New Mexico. San Juan County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/san-juan-nm.
What is the population of ZIP code 87420?
ZIP code 87420 in Shiprock, NM has a population of 11,967 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 87420?
The median household income in ZIP 87420 is $36,335, which is 52% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 87420?
The median home value in ZIP 87420 is $103,900, which is 63% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 87420?
The largest racial group in ZIP 87420 is American Indian or Alaska Native at 96.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 87420?
ZIP code 87420 has 39 business establishments employing approximately 1,755 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 87420?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 87420 are: Accommodation and food services (11), Retail trade (8), Health care and social assistance (7). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 87420?
In ZIP code 87420, 42.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 87420?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 87420 is 32.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 87420?
In ZIP code 87420, approximately 58.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 41.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 87420?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 87420 is 31.7% 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 87420's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 87420 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Shiprock, NM 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.