PlainZIP

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
$38,889
Median income
$217,600
Median home value
21.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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 New Mexico average), while per-capita income is $39,354. Poverty here runs at 14.0%, with unemployment measured at 5.6%. Housing costs here run $217,600 for a typical home value (1% above the state average), with rent averaging $570 a month; 86.2% of 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 -. Use the benchmarks above to see where 87520 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 87520

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chama, NM

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 87520.

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 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

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 87520?

65.4

Median Age

50.0%

Male

50.0%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 44.7%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.7%
Hispanic or Latino 49.8%

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?

$38,889

Median Household Income

-34% vs state

$39,354

Per Capita Income

14.0%

Poverty Rate

5.6%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 87520 ranks nationally

Chama, NM household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$38,889 5th percentile higher than 5% 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 48.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.8%

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

What does housing look like?

1,436

Total Housing Units

650

Occupied Units

786

Vacant Units

1.77

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 86.2%
Renter 13.8%

$217,600

Median Home Value

+1% vs state

$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.

More ZIP Codes in Rio Arriba County

87532 standard
Espanola, NM
Pop: 18,223
87528 standard
Dulce, NM
Pop: 3,417
87522 standard
Chimayo, NM
Pop: 3,384
87566 standard
Ohkay Owingeh, NM
Pop: 3,000
87537 standard
Hernandez, NM
Pop: 2,957
87511 standard
Alcalde, NM
Pop: 2,747

Related Areas

Rio Arriba County Chama, NM New Mexico

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.

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