87421 ZIP Code — Waterflow, NM

San Juan County, New Mexico

ZIP code 87421 is located in Waterflow, New Mexico, within San Juan County. It covers approximately 32.73 square miles and serves a population of 1,612 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 505.

About ZIP code 87421

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $104,700. Owner-occupancy is high at 83%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $48,102. Poverty affects 18% of residents, above the national average. 40% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 32 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 7% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (27%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 87421 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

1,612

population

32.73

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

87421 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 87421

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 87421. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Waterflow	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

87417 Kirtland (2.6 mi) 87416 Fruitland (3.5 mi) 87402 Farmington (13.4 mi) 87415 Flora Vista (16 mi) 87418 La Plata (16.1 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	1,612
Population density	49 / sq mi
State FIPS	35
County FIPS	045

Geography
Land area	32.73 sq mi
Water area	0.22 sq mi
Latitude	36.7966
Longitude	-108.3852
Timezone	Mountain (MT)
Area code	505

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 06/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	48.6%	51.0%	48.8%
$50k – $100k	43.4%	30.1%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	7.9%	16.8%	17.6%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.2%	4.1%

Demographics & statistics

1,612

Population

People per sq mi

41.2

Median age

$48,102

Median household income

$19,997

Per capita income

$104,700

Median home value

$1,563

Median monthly rent

82.8%

Home ownership

18.1%

Poverty rate

10.4%

Unemployment

551

Housing units

7.0%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

111

25–34

103

113

35–44

104

123

45–54

113

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	359	22.3%
18 and over	1,253	77.7%
65 and over	251	15.6%
Median age	41.2 years

Race & ethnicity

American Indian / Alaska Native 64.1%

White 23.9%

Hispanic or Latino 4.7%

Other race 4.6%

Asian 2.3%

Two or more races 0.4%

Group	Count	%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1,085	64.1%
White	405	23.9%
Hispanic or Latino	80	4.7%
Other race	77	4.6%
Asian	39	2.3%
Two or more races	6	0.4%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	48.6%	51.0%	48.8%
$50k – $100k	43.4%	30.1%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	7.9%	16.8%	17.6%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.2%	4.1%

Under $10k 8.3%

$10k–$15k 4.5%

$15k–$25k 13.8%

$25k–$35k 8.7%

$35k–$50k 18.9%

$50k–$75k 13.0%

$75k–$100k 17.0%

$100k–$150k 10.1%

$150k–$200k 5.7%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	8.3%
$10k–$15k	4.5%
$15k–$25k	13.8%
$25k–$35k	8.7%
$35k–$50k	18.9%
$50k–$75k	13.0%
$75k–$100k	17.0%
$100k–$150k	10.1%
$150k–$200k	5.7%
Median income	$48,102

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 32.8%

$50k–$100k 15.0%

$100k–$150k 24.3%

$150k–$200k 10.8%

$200k–$300k 10.5%

$300k–$500k 6.6%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$104,700
Median rent / month	$1,563
Owner occupied	82.8%
Renter occupied	17.2%
Vacant	22.5%
Single-family detached	53.9%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	44.2%
Median rooms	4.9
Avg household size (owned)	3.32

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.2%
2010–2019	6.0%
2000–2009	11.5%
1990–1999	24.1%
1980–1989	12.4%
1970–1979	37.6%
1960–1969	4.7%
1950–1959	0.9%
1940–1949	1.3%
1939 or earlier	1.4%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	2.5%
1 bedroom	3.9%
2 bedrooms	30.7%
3 bedrooms	44.7%
4 bedrooms	14.5%
5+ bedrooms	3.8%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	3.2%
1 vehicle	30.0%
2 vehicles	37.3%
3 or more	29.4%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	4.7%
Electricity	15.8%
Propane / LP gas	34.3%
Fuel oil	0.4%
Wood	27.2%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	191	38.7%
Cohabiting couple	49	9.9%
Male householder, no spouse	120	24.3%
Female householder, no spouse	133	27.0%
Households with children under 18	183	37.1%
Households with seniors (65+)	224	45.4%
Average household size	3.27

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	49.9%	45.8%
Married	30.0%	37.4%
Separated	4.8%	5.4%
Widowed	3.1%	8.5%
Divorced	12.1%	2.8%

Education

Less than 9th grade 6.7%

Some HS, no diploma 12.8%

HS graduate 29.3%

Some college, no degree 30.7%

Associate's degree 13.5%

Bachelor's degree 3.6%

Graduate / professional 3.4%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	80.5%
Bachelor's or higher	7.0%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	1	0.3%
Kindergarten	8	2.2%
Elementary school	161	44.6%
High school	134	37.1%
College / grad school	57	15.8%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 23.3%

Manufacturing 11.0%

Agriculture & mining 10.7%

Transportation & utilities 9.9%

Retail trade 8.1%

Arts, food & hospitality 8.1%

Other services 7.5%

Construction 6.0%

Information 4.2%

Public administration 3.6%

Wholesale trade 3.1%

Professional & management 2.6%

Finance & real estate 1.9%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	33.1%
Service	16.7%
Sales & office	25.4%
Natural resources & construction	12.2%
Production & transportation	12.6%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	85.9%
Government	14.1%
Self-employed	0.0%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	78.4%
Carpool	13.3%
Public transit	0.7%
Walk	1.0%
Work from home	6.6%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	32.2

Poverty

All people 18.1%

Under 18 years 25.9%

18 and over 15.9%

Married-couple families 4.2%

Female-led households 31.2%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	40.2%
Retirement income	25.6%
Supplemental Security	3.2%
Cash public assistance	0.8%
Food stamps / SNAP	15.8%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	36.8%
High blood pressure	33.1%
High cholesterol	24.5%
Diabetes	14.0%
Heart disease	6.7%
Stroke	4.0%
Asthma	12.8%
Arthritis	22.9%
Kidney disease	3.4%
Pulmonary disease	7.6%
Cancer	5.3%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	27.2%
Binge drinking	13.7%
No physical activity	24.1%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	37.8%
Depression	22.1%
Fair or poor health	19.2%
Poor mental health	19.1%
Poor physical health	13.2%
No health insurance	10.3%
Visited doctor (checkup)	63.8%
Visited dentist	52.7%
Cholesterol screening	84.9%
Teeth loss	22.3%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	79	6.3%

Disability	%
Any disability	18.2%
Under 18	1.7%
18–64 years	16.0%
65 and over	51.0%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	39.2%
Public insurance	58.0%
No insurance	10.5%
Uninsured under 19	3.4%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,542	95.7%
Spanish	265	17.2%
Other Indo-European	12	0.8%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	59	3.8%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,570	97.4%
Born in same state	1,551	96.2%
Born in different state	1,228	76.2%
Foreign born	19	1.2%
Naturalized citizen	42	2.6%
Not a US citizen	39	92.9%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	65	4%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	30.6%
Internet access	88.0%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 87421

What city is ZIP code 87421 in?

ZIP code 87421 is primarily assigned to Waterflow, New Mexico.

What county is ZIP code 87421 in?

ZIP code 87421 falls within San Juan County, New Mexico.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 87421?

7% 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 poverty rate in ZIP code 87421?

18% of residents in ZIP code 87421 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Is ZIP code 87421 mostly owner-occupied?

83% of occupied units in ZIP code 87421 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 87421 have a large retiree population?

40% of households in ZIP code 87421 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What timezone is ZIP code 87421 in?

ZIP code 87421 observes the MST timezone.