PlainZIP

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
$36,335
Median income
$103,900
Median home value
10.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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 New Mexico average), while per-capita income is $19,560. Local economic indicators show a 31.7% poverty rate alongside 15.5% unemployment. Median home value sits at $103,900 (52% below the state average), median rent at $692 a month, and owner-occupancy at 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. Use the benchmarks above to see where 87420 sits relative to New Mexico 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 87420

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Shiprock, NM

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 87420.

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 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

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 87420?

36.4

Median Age

50.6%

Male

49.4%

Female

0.6%

Foreign-Born

White 0.9%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 96.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.2%
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?

$36,335

Median Household Income

-39% vs state

$19,560

Per Capita Income

31.7%

Poverty Rate

15.5%

Unemployment Rate

32.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 87420 ranks nationally

Shiprock, NM household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$36,335 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 42.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.2%

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

What does housing look like?

3,938

Total Housing Units

3,252

Occupied Units

686

Vacant Units

3.23

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 58.5%
Renter 41.5%

$103,900

Median Home Value

-52% vs state

$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.

More ZIP Codes in San Juan County

87401 standard
Farmington, NM
Pop: 46,293
87410 standard
Aztec, NM
Pop: 17,603
87413 standard
Bloomfield, NM
Pop: 16,792
87402 standard
Farmington, NM
Pop: 11,034
87417 standard
Kirtland, NM
Pop: 6,910
87416 standard
Fruitland, NM
Pop: 5,454

Related Areas

San Juan County Shiprock, NM New Mexico

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.

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