ZIP Code 88253

ZIP code 88253 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 492.1 square miles in Lake Arthur, Chaves County, New Mexico. The area is home to 935 residents, producing a population density of 2 people per square mile, and falls within the Denver time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 88253 against New Mexico and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 88253 sits at $85,813 (45% above the New Mexico average), while per-capita income is $39,053. The poverty rate stands at 8.0% and the unemployment rate at 8.0%. On housing, the median home value is $168,300 (22% below the state average) with median rent at $1,079 per month, and 67.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 88253 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 29.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34, and the average commute is —. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 additional ZIPs sharing Chaves County, so you can benchmark 88253 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →