88256 ZIP Code — Loving, NM

Eddy County, New Mexico

ZIP code 88256 is located in Loving, New Mexico, within Eddy County. It covers approximately 481.65 square miles and serves a population of 2,075 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 575.

About ZIP code 88256

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1980s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $164,200. Owner-occupancy is high at 81%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $58,625. 38% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is production, transportation, and material moving, with agriculture and mining as the leading industry. The average commute of 26 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 8% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Overall, ZIP code 88256 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

2,075

population

481.65

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

88256 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 88256

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 88256. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Loving	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

88220 Carlsbad (17.2 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	2,075
Population density	4 / sq mi
State FIPS	35
County FIPS	015

Geography
Land area	481.65 sq mi
Water area	5.99 sq mi
Latitude	32.2029
Longitude	-104.0223
Timezone	Mountain (MT)
Area code	575

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 06/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	52.3%	39.4%	48.8%
$50k – $100k	29.4%	28.8%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	15.6%	27.0%	17.6%
Over $200k	2.7%	4.8%	4.1%

Demographics & statistics

2,075

Population

People per sq mi

35.2

Median age

$58,625

Median household income

$26,066

Per capita income

$164,200

Median home value

$1,170

Median monthly rent

80.9%

Home ownership

12.8%

Poverty rate

6.4%

Unemployment

728

Housing units

7.6%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

107

5–9

10–14

105

15–19

102

20–24

25–34

103

138

35–44

148

113

45–54

122

55–59

60–64

115

65–74

125

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	622	30.0%
18 and over	1,453	70.0%
65 and over	356	17.2%
Median age	35.2 years

Race & ethnicity

White 59.9%

Hispanic or Latino 19.9%

Two or more races 18.4%

Other race 1.5%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%

Group	Count	%
White	1,551	59.9%
Hispanic or Latino	516	19.9%
Two or more races	478	18.4%
Other race	38	1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	8	0.3%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	52.3%	39.4%	48.8%
$50k – $100k	29.4%	28.8%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	15.6%	27.0%	17.6%
Over $200k	2.7%	4.8%	4.1%

Under $10k 6.7%

$10k–$15k 7.4%

$15k–$25k 12.0%

$25k–$35k 9.1%

$35k–$50k 10.1%

$50k–$75k 17.1%

$75k–$100k 11.3%

$100k–$150k 18.5%

$150k–$200k 2.7%

$200k+ 5.1%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	6.7%
$10k–$15k	7.4%
$15k–$25k	12.0%
$25k–$35k	9.1%
$35k–$50k	10.1%
$50k–$75k	17.1%
$75k–$100k	11.3%
$100k–$150k	18.5%
$150k–$200k	2.7%
$200k+	5.1%
Median income	$58,625

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 10.0%

$50k–$100k 20.0%

$100k–$150k 17.7%

$150k–$200k 14.3%

$200k–$300k 13.8%

$300k–$500k 21.8%

$500k–$1M 1.6%

$1M+ 0.7%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$164,200
Median rent / month	$1,170
Owner occupied	80.9%
Renter occupied	19.1%
Vacant	19.7%
Single-family detached	63.8%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	33.8%
Median rooms	5.2
Avg household size (owned)	2.83

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	9.1%
2000–2009	6.0%
1990–1999	16.3%
1980–1989	18.4%
1970–1979	16.2%
1960–1969	10.1%
1950–1959	9.4%
1940–1949	8.4%
1939 or earlier	6.2%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	3.8%
2 bedrooms	28.8%
3 bedrooms	50.1%
4 bedrooms	12.8%
5+ bedrooms	4.4%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	4.5%
1 vehicle	25.9%
2 vehicles	31.1%
3 or more	38.5%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	45.0%
Electricity	45.6%
Propane / LP gas	5.5%
Wood	3.9%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	429	62.1%
Cohabiting couple	15	2.2%
Male householder, no spouse	113	16.4%
Female householder, no spouse	134	19.4%
Households with children under 18	279	40.4%
Households with seniors (65+)	275	39.8%
Average household size	3.00

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	29.0%	21.3%
Married	57.0%	62.1%
Separated	1.5%	0.0%
Widowed	4.9%	7.9%
Divorced	7.6%	8.7%

Education

Less than 9th grade 2.2%

Some HS, no diploma 17.5%

HS graduate 40.3%

Some college, no degree 24.4%

Associate's degree 8.0%

Bachelor's degree 1.5%

Graduate / professional 6.1%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	80.3%
Bachelor's or higher	7.6%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	28	4.6%
Kindergarten	34	5.6%
Elementary school	211	34.5%
High school	159	26.0%
College / grad school	180	29.4%

Employment

Industry of employment

Agriculture & mining 25.7%

Retail trade 19.5%

Education & healthcare 16.1%

Transportation & utilities 11.9%

Professional & management 7.6%

Public administration 4.7%

Other services 4.1%

Construction 3.9%

Arts, food & hospitality 2.9%

Manufacturing 1.5%

Finance & real estate 1.5%

Wholesale trade 0.7%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	26.5%
Service	8.7%
Sales & office	21.5%
Natural resources & construction	12.3%
Production & transportation	31.1%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	74.9%
Government	14.4%
Self-employed	10.7%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	83.6%
Carpool	10.0%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	3.0%
Work from home	1.8%
Other means	1.6%
Avg commute (minutes)	25.9

Poverty

All people 12.8%

Under 18 years 9.5%

18 and over 14.1%

Married-couple families 11.7%

Female-led households 54.8%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	37.9%
Retirement income	17.5%
Supplemental Security	2.3%
Cash public assistance	1.7%
Food stamps / SNAP	16.6%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	39.9%
High blood pressure	32.8%
High cholesterol	31.5%
Diabetes	13.3%
Heart disease	6.1%
Stroke	2.9%
Asthma	9.7%
Arthritis	22.1%
Kidney disease	3.2%
Pulmonary disease	5.4%
Cancer	5.0%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	17.6%
Binge drinking	14.0%
No physical activity	28.4%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	33.0%
Depression	17.5%
Fair or poor health	17.5%
Poor mental health	14.2%
Poor physical health	11.5%
No health insurance	18.6%
Visited doctor (checkup)	68.8%
Visited dentist	56.6%
Cholesterol screening	86.1%
Teeth loss	13.8%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	76	5.2%

Disability	%
Any disability	11.7%
Under 18	8.7%
18–64 years	8.3%
65 and over	27.2%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	58.1%
Public insurance	38.6%
No insurance	11.1%
Uninsured under 19	11.9%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,869	90.1%
Spanish	157	8.4%
Other Indo-European	157	8.4%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,907	91.9%
Born in same state	1,898	91.5%
Born in different state	1,488	71.7%
Foreign born	9	0.4%
Naturalized citizen	168	8.1%
Not a US citizen	80	47.6%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	112	5.4%
French	51	2.5%

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	32	1.5%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	33.3%
Internet access	83.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 88256

What city is ZIP code 88256 in?

ZIP code 88256 is primarily assigned to Loving, New Mexico.

What county is ZIP code 88256 in?

ZIP code 88256 falls within Eddy County, New Mexico.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 88256?

8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

Is ZIP code 88256 mostly owner-occupied?

81% of occupied units in ZIP code 88256 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 88256 have a large retiree population?

38% of households in ZIP code 88256 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 88256?

The median home value in ZIP code 88256 is $164,200.

What timezone is ZIP code 88256 in?

ZIP code 88256 observes the MST timezone.