PlainZIP

Alto, NM · standard

ZIP Code 88312

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

2,586
10/sq mi
$80,345
Median income
$304,100
Median home value
44.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 38%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 33%
home value, US ZIPs
10
people per sq mi
95%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 88312 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 88312 covers 251.1 square miles in Alto, Lincoln County, New Mexico (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,586 residents on file, a density of 10 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.

ZIP 88312 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $80,345 (35% above the New Mexico average), while per-capita income is $54,099. The poverty rate stands at 8.1% and the unemployment rate at 10.3%. The typical home here is valued at $304,100 (41% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,328 monthly, and 94.9% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 44.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 59.7, and the average commute is -. To put 88312 in local context, 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Lincoln County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 88312

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Alto, NM

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 88312.

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 88312, Alto, 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

2,586

Population

251.1

Area (sq mi)

10

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 88312?

59.7

Median Age

49.1%

Male

50.9%

Female

4.4%

Foreign-Born

White 72.6%
African American 0.5%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 7.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 15.0%
Hispanic or Latino 25.2%

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?

$80,345

Median Household Income

+35% vs state

$54,099

Per Capita Income

8.1%

Poverty Rate

10.3%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 88312 ranks nationally

Alto, NM household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$80,345 Top 38% higher than 62% 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 65.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 44.3%

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

What does housing look like?

3,180

Total Housing Units

1,502

Occupied Units

1,678

Vacant Units

2.19

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 94.9%
Renter 5.1%

$304,100

Median Home Value

+41% vs state

$1,328

Median Rent

1998

Median Year Built

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

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+11.5%

YoY Change (2024)

256

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+156%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 88312 have increased 11.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +156% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2019 +0.9% 150
2020 +9.2% 164
2021 +10.2% 180
2022 +11.5% 201
2024 – 256

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 63 business establishments in ZIP 88312, employing approximately 567 people with a combined annual payroll of $23,480,000.

63

Businesses

567

Employees

$23.5M

Annual Payroll

8

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 12 19.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 10 15.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 11.1%
Retail trade 5 7.9%
Other services (except public administration) 5 7.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 4 6.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 4 6.3%
Accommodation and food services 4 6.3%

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 88312 vs 88355 →

ZIP 88312 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 88312 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 88312 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 88312 ranks the highest of 4 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
88355 Ruidoso, NM 29 4.8 mi
88345 Ruidoso, NM 8,845 5.8 mi
88341 Nogal, NM 538 7.7 mi
88323 Fort Stanton, NM 14 9.7 mi
88346 Ruidoso Downs, NM 3,132 9.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lincoln County

88345 standard
Ruidoso, NM
Pop: 8,845
88346 standard
Ruidoso Downs, NM
Pop: 3,132
88316 standard
Capitan, NM
Pop: 2,351
88301 standard
Carrizozo, NM
Pop: 1,386
88341 standard
Nogal, NM
Pop: 538
88318 standard
Corona, NM
Pop: 381

Related Areas

Lincoln County Alto, NM New Mexico

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 88312 in? ▼
ZIP code 88312 (Alto) is located in Lincoln County, New Mexico. Lincoln County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lincoln-nm.
What is the population of ZIP code 88312? ▼
ZIP code 88312 in Alto, NM has a population of 2,586 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 88312? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 88312 is $80,345, which is 5% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 88312? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 88312 is $304,100, which is 9% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 88312? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 88312 is White at 72.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 25.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 88312? ▼
ZIP code 88312 has 63 business establishments employing approximately 567 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 88312? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 88312 are: Construction (12), Real estate and rental and leasing (10), Arts, entertainment, and recreation (7). There are 8 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 88312? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 88312 increased by 11.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 156%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 88312? ▼
In ZIP code 88312, 65.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 44.3% 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 88312? ▼
In ZIP code 88312, approximately 94.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 5.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 88312? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 88312 is 8.1% 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.