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New Mexico ZIP Codes
Lea County
Jal, NM
88252
88252 ZIP Code — Jal, NM
Lea County, New Mexico
ZIP code 88252 is located in
Jal ,
New Mexico ,
within Lea County .
It covers approximately 854.77 square miles and serves a population of
2,258 residents.
This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone,
served by area code 575 .
About ZIP code 88252
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1950s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $112,800. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 71%.
Median household income is $56,731. Poverty affects 26% of residents, above the national average.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 18 minutes is near the national average.
College attainment at 15% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.
Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (20%) compared to national benchmarks.
Notable community characteristics include Spanish spoken in 22% of households.
Overall, ZIP code 88252 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce and economic challenges above the national average.
88252 ZIP code map
View map of 88252
Cities in ZIP code 88252
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 88252. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
City
Status
Jal
Acceptable
Jal
Preferred
Demographics
updated 06/2026
Population
Total population
2,258
Population density
3 / sq mi
State FIPS
35
County FIPS
025
Geography
Land area
854.77 sq mi
Water area
0.03 sq mi
Latitude
32.2622
Longitude
-103.3938
Timezone
Mountain (MT)
Area code
575
Economics
updated 06/2026
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
43.4%
40.1%
48.8%
$50k – $100k
35.0%
35.0%
29.4%
$100k – $200k
19.1%
20.6%
17.6%
Over $200k
2.6%
4.3%
4.1%
Demographics & statistics
$56,731
Median household income
$112,800
Median home value
14.8%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Age summary
Group Count % Under 18 601 26.6% 18 and over 1,657 73.4% 65 and over 348 15.4% Median age 39.5 years
Race & ethnicity
Black or African American
1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.7%
Group Count % White 1,712 62.5% Hispanic or Latino 480 17.5% Two or more races 394 14.4% Other race 86 3.1% Black or African American 47 1.7% American Indian / Alaska Native 19 0.7%
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
43.4%
40.1%
48.8%
$50k – $100k
35.0%
35.0%
29.4%
$100k – $200k
19.1%
20.6%
17.6%
Over $200k
2.6%
4.3%
4.1%
Range % of households Under $10k 10.1% $10k–$15k 8.3% $15k–$25k 12.9% $25k–$35k 9.6% $35k–$50k 3.6% $50k–$75k 25.4% $75k–$100k 6.9% $100k–$150k 9.9% $150k–$200k 11.9% $200k+ 1.3% Median income $56,731
Housing
Housing overview
Metric Value Median home value $112,800 Median rent / month $750 Owner occupied 70.9% Renter occupied 29.1% Vacant 18.2% Single-family detached 78.5% Large apartment buildings 0.0% Mobile homes 15.1% Median rooms 5.2 Avg household size (owned) 2.62
Year built
Era % 2020 or later 0.0% 2010–2019 5.5% 2000–2009 1.3% 1990–1999 5.0% 1980–1989 11.1% 1970–1979 18.0% 1960–1969 14.1% 1950–1959 38.8% 1940–1949 5.2% 1939 or earlier 1.0%
Bedrooms
Size % of units No bedroom (studio) 2.2% 1 bedroom 10.3% 2 bedrooms 26.8% 3 bedrooms 50.9% 4 bedrooms 8.0% 5+ bedrooms 1.8%
Vehicles per household
Vehicles % of households No vehicle 4.0% 1 vehicle 21.3% 2 vehicles 53.4% 3 or more 21.3%
Heating fuel
Fuel type % Utility gas 40.8% Electricity 44.4% Propane / LP gas 12.7% Wood 2.2%
Households & families
Household type Count % Married-couple family 406 49.4% Cohabiting couple 79 9.6% Male householder, no spouse 134 16.3% Female householder, no spouse 203 24.7% Households with children under 18 232 28.2% Households with seniors (65+) 252 30.7% Average household size 2.75
Marital status
Status Male Female Never married 38.1% 31.6% Married 50.5% 41.6% Separated 0.0% 3.6% Widowed 3.8% 14.0% Divorced 7.5% 9.1%
Education
Less than 9th grade
22.9%
Some HS, no diploma
11.4%
Some college, no degree
20.9%
Graduate / professional
10.5%
Metric % HS diploma or higher 65.7% Bachelor's or higher 14.8%
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
Type Count % Nursery / preschool 20 3.3% Kindergarten 33 5.4% Elementary school 239 39.0% High school 235 38.3% College / grad school 86 14.0%
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
30.3%
Agriculture & mining
17.3%
Transportation & utilities
9.4%
Arts, food & hospitality
4.2%
Professional & management
3.3%
Finance & real estate
2.1%
Public administration
1.9%
Occupation
Category % Management, business & arts 33.6% Service 7.1% Sales & office 6.8% Natural resources & construction 22.0% Production & transportation 30.5%
Employment type
Type % Private sector 73.9% Government 21.3% Self-employed 4.8% Unpaid family workers 0.0%
Commute
Method % Drive alone 87.2% Carpool 2.4% Public transit 0.0% Walk 0.0% Work from home 9.0% Other means 1.3% Avg commute (minutes) 17.8
Poverty
Married-couple families
0.0%
Female-led households
52.7%
Income support
Source % of households Social Security 25.8% Retirement income 11.4% Supplemental Security 2.9% Cash public assistance 8.8% Food stamps / SNAP 15.3%
Health indicators
Condition % Obesity 34.3% High blood pressure 37.2% High cholesterol 33.6% Diabetes 12.9% Heart disease 7.5% Stroke 3.7% Asthma 9.8% Arthritis 25.3% Kidney disease 3.5% Pulmonary disease 7.6% Cancer 6.6%
Behavior / access % Smoking 20.1% Binge drinking 13.8% No physical activity 27.6% Less than 7 hrs sleep 30.9% Depression 19.4% Fair or poor health 18.1% Poor mental health 14.6% Poor physical health 12.1% No health insurance 17.8% Visited doctor (checkup) 68.4% Visited dentist 53.3% Cholesterol screening 85.9% Teeth loss 19.0%
Veterans & disability
Veterans Count % Civilian veterans 76 4.6%
Disability % Any disability 15.2% Under 18 0.0% 18–64 years 12.4% 65 and over 52.3%
Health insurance coverage
Type % Private insurance 39.9% Public insurance 49.3% No insurance 14.9% Uninsured under 19 10.6%
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
Language Count % English only 2,205 97.7% Spanish 491 22.3% Other Indo-European 491 22.3% Asian & Pacific Islander 0 0.0% Other languages 0 0.0%
Place of birth & citizenship
Origin Count % Native born (US) 1,799 79.7% Born in same state 1,700 75.3% Born in different state 511 22.6% Foreign born 99 4.4% Naturalized citizen 459 20.3% Not a US citizen 164 35.7%
Ancestry
Ancestry Count % French 230 10.2% Italian 158 7%
Ancestry Count % Arab 36 1.6%
Technology access
Metric % of households Computer access 36.4% Internet access 77.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 88252
What city is ZIP code 88252 in?
ZIP code 88252 is primarily assigned to Jal, New Mexico.
What county is ZIP code 88252 in?
ZIP code 88252 falls within Lea County, New Mexico.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 88252?
26% of residents in ZIP code 88252 live below the poverty line, above the national average.
Is Spanish widely spoken in ZIP code 88252?
Approximately 22% of households in ZIP code 88252 speak Spanish as a primary language.
How educated is the population of ZIP code 88252?
15% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 88252?
The median home value in ZIP code 88252 is $112,800.
What timezone is ZIP code 88252 in?
ZIP code 88252 observes the MST timezone.
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