Capitan, NM · standard
ZIP Code 88316
Lincoln County, New Mexico - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,351
- 1/sq mi Low-density area
- $54,080
- Median income Below-median income area
- $123,600
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 26.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Capitan pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 20th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 18th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1
- people per sq mi
- 85%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 88316 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 88316 covers 2938.8 square miles in Capitan, Lincoln County, New Mexico (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,351 residents on file, a density of 1 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.
ZIP 88316 reports a modest median household income of $54,080 (9% below the average New Mexico ZIP), while per-capita income is $37,337. Unemployment is 10.0%, an important qualifier alongside the household-income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $123,600 (43% below the average New Mexico ZIP), and median rent is $946; owner occupancy is 85.4%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 26.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 59.1, and the average commute is -. No nearby ZIP peer set is available for this delivery area, so the New Mexico and national benchmarks above are the appropriate context for 88316.
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 88316
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Capitan, NM
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 88316.
- Construction
Construction
11 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
7 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
6 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
6 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 4
Accommodation and food services
4 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 88316, Capitan, 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
2,351
Population
2938.8
Area (sq mi)
1
People / sq mi
Denver
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 88316?
59.1
Median Age
45.8%
Male
54.2%
Female
0.9%
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?
$54,080
Median Household Income
-9% vs state ZIP avg
$37,337
Per Capita Income
9.3%
Poverty Rate
10.0%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 88316 ranks among New Mexico ZIPs
Capitan, 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)
$54,080 48th percentile higher than 48% 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
1,460housing units
1,460
Total Housing Units
1,171
Occupied Units
289
Vacant Units
1.87
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$123,600
Median Home Value
-43% vs state ZIP avg
$946
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 43 business establishments in ZIP 88316, employing approximately 189 people with a combined annual payroll of $7,078,000.
43
Businesses
189
Employees
$7.1M
Annual Payroll
5
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 11 | 25.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 7 | 16.3% |
| Retail trade | 6 | 13.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 13.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 4 | 9.3% |
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 88316, 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 (2,351 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Lincoln County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 88316 in?
ZIP code 88316 (Capitan) 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 88316?
ZIP code 88316 in Capitan, NM has a population of 2,351 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 88316?
The median household income in ZIP 88316 is $54,080, which is 29% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 88316?
The median home value in ZIP 88316 is $123,600, which is 56% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 88316?
The largest racial group in ZIP 88316 is White at 92.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 22.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 88316?
ZIP code 88316 has 43 business establishments employing approximately 189 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 88316?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 88316 are: Construction (11), Other services (except public administration) (7), Retail trade (6). There are 5 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 88316?
In ZIP code 88316, 47.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 26.5% 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 88316?
In ZIP code 88316, approximately 85.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 88316?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 88316 is 9.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 88316's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 88316 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Capitan, NM ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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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.