Chama, NM · standard
ZIP Code 87520
Rio Arriba County, New Mexico - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,419
- 2/sq mi Low-density area
- $38,889
- Median income Below-median income area
- $217,600
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 21.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Chama pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 5th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 49th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 2
- people per sq mi
- 86%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 87520 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 87520 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Chama, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, home to just 1,419 residents across 675.7 square miles, a density of 2 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.
ZIP 87520 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $38,889 (34% below the average New Mexico ZIP), while per-capita income is $39,354. The poverty rate is 14.0%, with unemployment at 5.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $217,600 (1% above the average New Mexico ZIP) and median rent is $570; 86.2% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 65.4, and the average commute is -. No nearby ZIP peer set is available for this delivery area, so the New Mexico and national benchmarks above are the appropriate context for 87520.
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 87520
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chama, NM
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 87520.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
17 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
12 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
7 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing 5
Real estate and rental and leasing
5 establishments
- Construction 4
Construction
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 87520, Chama, 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
1,419
Population
675.7
Area (sq mi)
2
People / sq mi
Denver
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 87520?
65.4
Median Age
50.0%
Male
50.0%
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?
$38,889
Median Household Income
-34% vs state ZIP avg
$39,354
Per Capita Income
14.0%
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 87520 ranks among New Mexico ZIPs
Chama, 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)
$38,889 19th percentile higher than 19% 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
1,436housing units
1,436
Total Housing Units
650
Occupied Units
786
Vacant Units
1.77
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$217,600
Median Home Value
+1% vs state ZIP avg
$570
Median Rent
1993
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 63 business establishments in ZIP 87520, employing approximately 259 people with a combined annual payroll of $9,366,000.
63
Businesses
259
Employees
$9.4M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 17 | 27.0% |
| Retail trade | 12 | 19.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 7 | 11.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 5 | 7.9% |
| Construction | 4 | 6.3% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 4.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 4.8% |
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 87520, 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 (1,419 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Rio Arriba County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 87520 in?
ZIP code 87520 (Chama) is located in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. Rio Arriba County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/rio-arriba-nm.
What is the population of ZIP code 87520?
ZIP code 87520 in Chama, NM has a population of 1,419 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 87520?
The median household income in ZIP 87520 is $38,889, which is 49% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 87520?
The median home value in ZIP 87520 is $217,600, which is 22% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 87520?
The largest racial group in ZIP 87520 is White at 44.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 49.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 87520?
ZIP code 87520 has 63 business establishments employing approximately 259 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 87520?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 87520 are: Accommodation and food services (17), Retail trade (12), Other services (except public administration) (7). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 87520?
In ZIP code 87520, 48.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.8% 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 87520?
In ZIP code 87520, approximately 86.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 87520?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 87520 is 14.0% 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 87520's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 87520 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Chama, 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.