Chaparral, NM · standard
ZIP Code 88081
Otero County, New Mexico - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 15,708
- 15/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $46,017
- Median income Below-median income area
- $109,300
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 9.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Chaparral pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 10th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 13th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 15
- people per sq mi
- 69%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 88081 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 88081 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Chaparral, Otero County, New Mexico, home to 15,708 residents across 1026.7 square miles, a density of 15 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.
ZIP 88081 reports a modest median household income of $46,017 (22% below the average New Mexico ZIP), while per-capita income is $19,261. The poverty rate is 27.4%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $109,300 (49% below the average New Mexico ZIP), and median rent is $853; owner occupancy is 69.4%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 9.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 32.4, and the average commute is 30 minutes. No nearby ZIP peer set is available for this delivery area, so the New Mexico and national benchmarks above are the appropriate context for 88081.
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 88081
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chaparral, NM
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 88081.
- Construction
Construction
22 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
18 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
17 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
10 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 8
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
8 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 88081, Chaparral, 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
15,708
Population
1026.7
Area (sq mi)
15
People / sq mi
Denver
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 88081?
32.4
Median Age
51.5%
Male
48.5%
Female
30.1%
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?
$46,017
Median Household Income
-22% vs state ZIP avg
$19,261
Per Capita Income
27.4%
Poverty Rate
6.2%
Unemployment Rate
29.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 88081 ranks among New Mexico ZIPs
Chaparral, 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)
$46,017 32nd percentile higher than 32% 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
5,940housing units
5,940
Total Housing Units
5,060
Occupied Units
880
Vacant Units
3.59
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$109,300
Median Home Value
-49% vs state ZIP avg
$853
Median Rent
1994
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 105 business establishments in ZIP 88081, employing approximately 1,288 people with a combined annual payroll of $51,513,000.
105
Businesses
1,288
Employees
$51.5M
Annual Payroll
12
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 22 | 20.9% |
| Retail trade | 18 | 17.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 17 | 16.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 10 | 9.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 8 | 7.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 8 | 7.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 3.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 3 | 2.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 2.9% |
| Information | 3 | 2.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 3 | 2.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 2.9% |
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 88081, 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 (15,708 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Otero County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 88081 in?
ZIP code 88081 (Chaparral) is located in Otero County, New Mexico. Otero County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/otero-nm.
What is the population of ZIP code 88081?
ZIP code 88081 in Chaparral, NM has a population of 15,708 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 88081?
The median household income in ZIP 88081 is $46,017, which is 40% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 88081?
The median home value in ZIP 88081 is $109,300, which is 61% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 88081?
The largest racial group in ZIP 88081 is Two or More Ethnicities at 50.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 89.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 88081?
ZIP code 88081 has 105 business establishments employing approximately 1,288 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 88081?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 88081 are: Construction (22), Retail trade (18), Health care and social assistance (17). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 88081?
In ZIP code 88081, 40.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 9.9% 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 88081?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 88081 is 29.9 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 88081?
In ZIP code 88081, approximately 69.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 30.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 88081?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 88081 is 27.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
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- See how ZIP 88081 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.