PlainZIP

Chamisal, NM · standard

ZIP Code 87521

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

1,003
4/sq mi
$39,718
Median income
$218,600
Median home value
12.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Chamisal 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
4
people per sq mi
87%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 87521 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 87521 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Chamisal, Taos County, New Mexico, home to just 1,003 residents across 257.2 square miles, a density of 4 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.

ZIP 87521 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $39,718 (33% below the New Mexico average), while per-capita income is $37,228. The poverty rate stands at 12.3% and the unemployment rate at 0.3%. On housing, the median home value is $218,600 (2% above the state average) with median rent at $945 per month, and 86.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.5, and the average commute is -. A geography-based comparison follows: 6 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 87521, plus 6 more within Taos County, give a clearer read than the national average 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 87521, Chamisal, 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

1,003

Population

257.2

Area (sq mi)

4

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 87521?

46.5

Median Age

37.1%

Male

62.9%

Female

2.0%

Foreign-Born

White 11.7%
African American 0.0%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 83.2%
Hispanic or Latino 86.9%

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?

$39,718

Median Household Income

-33% vs state

$37,228

Per Capita Income

12.3%

Poverty Rate

0.3%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 87521 ranks nationally

Chamisal, NM household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$39,718 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 66.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 12.8%

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

What does housing look like?

497

Total Housing Units

375

Occupied Units

122

Vacant Units

3.36

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 86.9%
Renter 13.1%

$218,600

Median Home Value

+2% vs state

$945

Median Rent

1972

Median Year Built

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

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 87521 vs 87543 →

ZIP 87521 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 87521 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 87521 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 87521 ranks #4 of 5 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
87543 Llano, NM 247 3.0 mi
87578 Truchas, NM 611 4.6 mi
87553 Penasco, NM 1,209 9.0 mi
87579 Vadito, NM 890 8.6 mi
87523 Cordova, NM 405 9.2 mi
87522 Chimayo, NM 3,384 12.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Taos County

87571 standard
Taos, NM
Pop: 11,706
87557 standard
Ranchos De Taos, NM
Pop: 6,359
87529 standard
El Prado, NM
Pop: 3,600
87556 standard
Questa, NM
Pop: 2,417
87514 standard
Arroyo Seco, NM
Pop: 1,345
87553 standard
Penasco, NM
Pop: 1,209

Related Areas

Taos County Chamisal, NM New Mexico

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 87521 in? ▼
ZIP code 87521 (Chamisal) is located in Taos County, New Mexico. Taos County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/taos-nm.
What is the population of ZIP code 87521? ▼
ZIP code 87521 in Chamisal, NM has a population of 1,003 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 87521? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 87521 is $39,718, which is 48% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 87521? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 87521 is $218,600, which is 21% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 87521? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 87521 is Two or More Ethnicities at 83.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 86.9% of the population.
What is the education level in ZIP code 87521? ▼
In ZIP code 87521, 66.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.8% 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 87521? ▼
In ZIP code 87521, approximately 86.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 87521? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 87521 is 12.3% 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.