PlainZIP

Waterflow, NM · standard

ZIP Code 87421

San Juan County, New Mexico - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

1,871
18/sq mi
$51,029
Median income
$122,800
Median home value
8.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

15th pct
household income, US ZIPs
18th pct
home value, US ZIPs
18
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 87421 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 87421 covers 104.5 square miles in Waterflow, San Juan County, New Mexico (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,871 residents on file, a density of 18 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.

ZIP 87421 reports a modest median household income of $51,029 (14% below the New Mexico average), while per-capita income is $20,177. 22.0% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 12.4%. Median home value sits at $122,800 (43% below the state average), median rent at $1,616 a month, and owner-occupancy at 71.9%.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 8.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.8, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 1 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing San Juan County, letting you compare 87421 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 87421, Waterflow, 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

1,871

Population

104.5

Area (sq mi)

18

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 87421?

36.8

Median Age

47.5%

Male

52.5%

Female

3.0%

Foreign-Born

White 23.2%
African American 0.0%
Asian 2.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 71.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 0.3%
Hispanic or Latino 7.6%

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?

$51,029

Median Household Income

-14% vs state

$20,177

Per Capita Income

22.0%

Poverty Rate

12.4%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 87421 ranks nationally

Waterflow, NM household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$51,029 15th percentile higher than 15% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $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 33.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 8.0%

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

What does housing look like?

633

Total Housing Units

466

Occupied Units

167

Vacant Units

3.15

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 71.9%
Renter 28.1%

$122,800

Median Home Value

-43% vs state

$1,616

Median Rent

1991

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 23 business establishments in ZIP 87421, employing approximately 429 people with a combined annual payroll of $37,874,000.

23

Businesses

429

Employees

$37.9M

Annual Payroll

2

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 8 34.8%
Transportation and warehousing 4 17.4%

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 87421 vs 87416 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
87416 Fruitland, NM 5,454 7.3 mi

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
87420 standard
Shiprock, NM
Pop: 11,967
87402 standard
Farmington, NM
Pop: 11,034
87417 standard
Kirtland, NM
Pop: 6,910

Related Areas

San Juan County Waterflow, NM New Mexico

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 87421 in? ▼
ZIP code 87421 (Waterflow) 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 87421? ▼
ZIP code 87421 in Waterflow, NM has a population of 1,871 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 87421? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 87421 is $51,029, which is 33% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 87421? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 87421 is $122,800, which is 56% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 87421? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 87421 is American Indian or Alaska Native at 71.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 87421? ▼
ZIP code 87421 has 23 business establishments employing approximately 429 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 87421? ▼
In ZIP code 87421, 33.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 8.0% 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 87421? ▼
In ZIP code 87421, approximately 71.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 87421? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 87421 is 22.0% 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.