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New Mexico ZIP Codes
San Juan County
Sanostee, NM
87461
87461 ZIP Code — Sanostee, NM
San Juan County, New Mexico
ZIP code 87461 is located in
Sanostee ,
New Mexico ,
within San Juan County .
It covers approximately 240.21 square miles and serves a population of
1,394 residents.
This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone,
served by area code 505 .
About ZIP code 87461
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1980s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $29,600. Owner-occupancy is high at 94%, well above the national average.
Median household income is $31,053. Poverty affects 44% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 41% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 43% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.
The dominant occupation class is service, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. An above-average commute of 52 minutes suggests many residents work outside the immediate area.
College attainment at 4% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.
Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (21%), smoking (36%) compared to national benchmarks. 18% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.
Notable community characteristics include Spanish spoken in 34% of households.
Overall, ZIP code 87461 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, high homeownership, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.
87461 ZIP code map
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Cities in ZIP code 87461
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Demographics
updated 06/2026
Population
Total population
1,394
Population density
6 / sq mi
State FIPS
35
County FIPS
045
Geography
Land area
240.21 sq mi
Water area
0.07 sq mi
Latitude
36.4472
Longitude
-108.7845
Timezone
Mountain (MT)
Area code
505
Economics
updated 06/2026
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
70.8%
51.0%
48.8%
$50k – $100k
24.1%
30.1%
29.4%
$100k – $200k
5.1%
16.8%
17.6%
Over $200k
0.0%
2.2%
4.1%
Demographics & statistics
$31,053
Median household income
Age distribution
Age summary
Group Count % Under 18 319 22.9% 18 and over 1,075 77.1% 65 and over 230 16.5% Median age 41.2 years
Race & ethnicity
American Indian / Alaska Native
100%
Group Count % American Indian / Alaska Native 1,394 100%
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
70.8%
51.0%
48.8%
$50k – $100k
24.1%
30.1%
29.4%
$100k – $200k
5.1%
16.8%
17.6%
Over $200k
0.0%
2.2%
4.1%
Range % of households Under $10k 17.3% $10k–$15k 9.0% $15k–$25k 14.4% $25k–$35k 12.8% $35k–$50k 17.1% $50k–$75k 13.7% $75k–$100k 7.4% $100k–$150k 4.5% $150k–$200k 2.5% $200k+ 1.1% Median income $31,053
Housing
Housing overview
Metric Value Median home value $29,600 Median rent / month $0 Owner occupied 93.9% Renter occupied 6.1% Vacant 42.0% Single-family detached 79.2% Large apartment buildings 0.0% Mobile homes 20.8% Median rooms 3.3 Avg household size (owned) 3.12
Year built
Era % 2020 or later 0.0% 2010–2019 9.1% 2000–2009 10.8% 1990–1999 19.2% 1980–1989 21.4% 1970–1979 18.8% 1960–1969 12.0% 1950–1959 3.3% 1940–1949 4.2% 1939 or earlier 1.2%
Bedrooms
Size % of units No bedroom (studio) 31.6% 1 bedroom 13.6% 2 bedrooms 27.9% 3 bedrooms 22.5% 4 bedrooms 4.0% 5+ bedrooms 0.4%
Vehicles per household
Vehicles % of households No vehicle 11.9% 1 vehicle 39.0% 2 vehicles 33.3% 3 or more 15.8%
Heating fuel
Fuel type % Utility gas 0.5% Electricity 13.5% Propane / LP gas 16.4% Wood 61.5% No fuel used 1.4%
Households & families
Household type Count % Married-couple family 136 30.6% Cohabiting couple 97 21.8% Male householder, no spouse 48 10.8% Female householder, no spouse 163 36.7% Households with children under 18 164 36.9% Households with seniors (65+) 176 39.6% Average household size 3.14
Marital status
Status Male Female Never married 63.7% 54.0% Married 27.0% 22.7% Separated 2.2% 1.3% Widowed 0.6% 13.2% Divorced 6.6% 8.8%
Education
Less than 9th grade
11.7%
Some HS, no diploma
14.0%
Some college, no degree
22.1%
Graduate / professional
0.8%
Metric % HS diploma or higher 74.3% Bachelor's or higher 3.6%
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
Type Count % Nursery / preschool 5 1.6% Kindergarten 4 1.3% Elementary school 174 54.7% High school 100 31.4% College / grad school 35 11.0%
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
37.7%
Transportation & utilities
8.9%
Arts, food & hospitality
7.3%
Professional & management
3.4%
Public administration
2.8%
Agriculture & mining
2.2%
Finance & real estate
0.8%
Occupation
Category % Management, business & arts 20.4% Service 32.7% Sales & office 15.1% Natural resources & construction 10.9% Production & transportation 20.9%
Employment type
Type % Private sector 71.5% Government 27.4% Self-employed 1.1% Unpaid family workers 0.0%
Commute
Method % Drive alone 79.3% Carpool 12.7% Public transit 0.8% Walk 4.2% Work from home 2.8% Other means 0.0% Avg commute (minutes) 51.6
Poverty
Married-couple families
24.3%
Female-led households
38.5%
Income support
Source % of households Social Security 43.0% Retirement income 18.2% Supplemental Security 14.6% Cash public assistance 0.7% Food stamps / SNAP 41.0%
Health indicators
Condition % Obesity 41.7% High blood pressure 41.4% High cholesterol 28.8% Diabetes 21.2% Heart disease 10.6% Stroke 7.0% Asthma 14.8% Arthritis 29.2% Kidney disease 5.2% Pulmonary disease 12.2% Cancer 6.2%
Behavior / access % Smoking 36.2% Binge drinking 11.8% No physical activity 32.9% Less than 7 hrs sleep 40.7% Depression 23.3% Fair or poor health 30.3% Poor mental health 21.5% Poor physical health 19.3% No health insurance 12.5% Visited doctor (checkup) 66.6% Visited dentist 41.3% Cholesterol screening 83.6% Teeth loss 39.1%
Veterans & disability
Veterans Count % Civilian veterans 25 2.3%
Disability % Any disability 19.3% Under 18 2.8% 18–64 years 14.9% 65 and over 58.3%
Health insurance coverage
Type % Private insurance 14.6% Public insurance 69.5% No insurance 18.2% Uninsured under 19 15.2%
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
Language Count % English only 1,354 97.1% Spanish 453 33.5% Other Indo-European 0 0.0% Asian & Pacific Islander 0 0.0% Other languages 0 0.0%
Place of birth & citizenship
Origin Count % Native born (US) 1,394 100.0% Born in same state 1,394 100.0% Born in different state 1,240 89.0% Foreign born 0 0.0% Naturalized citizen 0 0.0% Not a US citizen 0 0.0%
Technology access
Metric % of households Computer access 31.9% Internet access 60.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 87461
What city is ZIP code 87461 in?
ZIP code 87461 is primarily assigned to Sanostee, New Mexico.
What county is ZIP code 87461 in?
ZIP code 87461 falls within San Juan County, New Mexico.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 87461?
44% of residents in ZIP code 87461 live below the poverty line, above the national average.
Is Spanish widely spoken in ZIP code 87461?
Approximately 34% of households in ZIP code 87461 speak Spanish as a primary language.
How educated is the population of ZIP code 87461?
4% 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 87461 mostly owner-occupied?
94% of occupied units in ZIP code 87461 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.
What timezone is ZIP code 87461 in?
ZIP code 87461 observes the MST timezone.
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