PlainZIP

Lake Arthur, NM · standard

ZIP Code 88253

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

935
2/sq mi
$85,813
Median income
$168,300
Median home value
29.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lake Arthur pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 31%
household income, US ZIPs
34th pct
home value, US ZIPs
2
people per sq mi
68%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 88253 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 88253 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lake Arthur, Chaves County, New Mexico, home to just 935 residents across 492.1 square miles, a density of 2 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.

ZIP 88253 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $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%. Median home value sits at $168,300 (22% below the state average), median rent at $1,079 a month, and owner-occupancy at 67.9%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 29.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 1 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 4 more sharing Chaves County, letting you compare 88253 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 88253, Lake Arthur, 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

935

Population

492.1

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 88253?

34.0

Median Age

48.3%

Male

51.7%

Female

7.4%

Foreign-Born

White 43.6%
African American 0.9%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 8.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 35.4%
Hispanic or Latino 45.4%

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?

$85,813

Median Household Income

+45% vs state

$39,053

Per Capita Income

8.0%

Poverty Rate

8.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 88253 ranks nationally

Lake Arthur, NM household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$85,813 Top 31% higher than 69% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 62.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 29.3%

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

What does housing look like?

360

Total Housing Units

315

Occupied Units

45

Vacant Units

2.86

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 67.9%
Renter 32.1%

$168,300

Median Home Value

-22% vs state

$1,079

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 7 business establishments in ZIP 88253, employing approximately 11 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,971,000.

7

Businesses

11

Employees

$2.0M

Annual Payroll

0

Industry Sectors

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 88253 vs 88232 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
88232 Hagerman, NM 2,525 6.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Chaves County

88203 standard
Roswell, NM
Pop: 31,561
88201 standard
Roswell, NM
Pop: 25,490
88230 standard
Dexter, NM
Pop: 5,179
88232 standard
Hagerman, NM
Pop: 2,525

Related Areas

Chaves County Lake Arthur, NM New Mexico

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 88253 in? ▼
ZIP code 88253 (Lake Arthur) is located in Chaves County, New Mexico. Chaves County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/chaves-nm.
What is the population of ZIP code 88253? ▼
ZIP code 88253 in Lake Arthur, NM has a population of 935 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 88253? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 88253 is $85,813, which is 12% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 88253? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 88253 is $168,300, which is 39% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 88253? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 88253 is White at 43.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 45.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 88253? ▼
ZIP code 88253 has 7 business establishments employing approximately 11 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 88253? ▼
In ZIP code 88253, 62.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 29.3% 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 88253? ▼
In ZIP code 88253, approximately 67.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 32.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 88253? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 88253 is 8.0% 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.