Residential delivery area · New Mexico
ZIP Code 88312: Alto, NM
ZIP code 88312 uses the postal name Alto, New Mexico and lies entirely in Lincoln County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 3,300 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Median household income is $80,345 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Its land lies mostly outside any Census place; 4% is in small places.
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Alto · its only residential ZIP
- County
- Lincoln County
- Micro area
- Ruidoso, NM
- House district
- NM-1 119th Congress
- State
- New Mexico
- Time zone
- Mountain
- Land area
- 71.2 sq mi · 46 people per sq mi
Where is ZIP code 88312?
88312 centers on 33.432°, -105.644° and covers 71.2 square miles of land. It borders 8 ZIP codes: 88345, 88323, 88324, 88346, 88341, 88338, 88340, 88316.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 88312, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0).
How does 88312 compare with the rest of Lincoln County?
| Measure | 88312 | In Lincoln County | In NM |
|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 3,287 | 3rd of 18 | 94th of 371 |
| Median household income | $80k | not ranked | not ranked |
| Median home value | $304k | 1st of 4 | 33rd of 120 |
88312's median household income is not ranked: its 90% margin of error (±$35,599) is more than a quarter of the figure ($80,345). Rankings use ZIP codes of 1,000 or more people living in households, with margins at most 25% of the figure.
It is denser than 41% of U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 88312?
The 2020 Census counted 2,735 people in 88312; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 3,287. Its boundary changed between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, so the two counts are not compared.
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 3,287±526 (90% margin)
- 2020 Census count
- 2,735
- Households
- 1,502
- Median age
- 59.7
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 88312?
Of the 3,287 people the ACS estimates in 88312, 14.9% are under 18 and 37.0% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is White (not Hispanic) (67.7%), then Hispanic or Latino (25.2%).
- Under 1814.9%
- 18 to 6448.1%
- 65 and older37.0%
- White, not Hispanic67.7%
- Hispanic or Latino25.2%
- Other or two or more5.1%
- Asian, not Hispanic1.5%
- Black, not Hispanic0.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 88312 earn?
Median household income is $80,345 (ACS 2020-2024).
- Median household income
- $80,345±$35,599
- Income per person
- $54,099
- Below the poverty line
- 8.1%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 10.3%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 44.3%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $109,7651,260 returns; wages 29% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 88312?
FHFA's house price index for 88312, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 103% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 73% from 2020 to 2025, and moved +11.4% in 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $304,100
- Median gross rent
- $1,328
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 94.9%
- Housing units
- 3,180
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 88312?
63 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, 2 more than in 2018; the most are in construction (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Construction12
- Real estate and rental and leasing10
- Arts, entertainment, and recreation7
- Retail trade5
- Other services (except public administration)5
- Professional, scientific, and technical services4
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 88312?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88345 | Ruidoso | 7,835 | $54k | 5.7 mi |
| 88323 | Fort Stanton | 0 | – | 5.9 mi |
| 88324 | Glencoe | 18 | – | 6.8 mi |
| 88346 | Ruidoso Downs | 3,191 | $34k | 8.3 mi |
| 88341 | Nogal | 653 | $48k | 12.0 mi |
| 88338 | Lincoln | 246 | $59k | 16.6 mi |
| 88340 | Mescalero | 3,590 | $37k | 18.0 mi |
| 88316 | Capitan | 2,194 | $54k | 28.2 mi |
| 88355 | Ruidoso | 293 | – | 5.0 mi (near) |
| 88348 | San Patricio | 279 | $87k | 14.0 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.