87517 ZIP Code — Carson, NM

Taos County, New Mexico

ZIP code 87517 is located in Carson, New Mexico, within Taos County. It covers approximately 80.33 square miles and serves a population of 308 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 575/505.

About ZIP code 87517

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $262,700.

Median household income is $99,122. Poverty affects 22% of residents, above the national average. 44% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with professional and management as the leading industry. Remote work is prevalent — 100% of workers work from home.

Educational attainment is high — 78% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national average of 33%.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 14% of civilians, above the national average of 7%.

Overall, ZIP code 87517 reflects a community defined by a highly educated population, economic challenges above the national average, a strong veteran community, high homeownership, a high rate of remote workers, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

308

population

80.33

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

87517 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 87517

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 87517. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Carson	Acceptable

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	308
Population density	4 / sq mi
State FIPS	35
County FIPS	055

Geography
Land area	80.33 sq mi
Water area	0.00 sq mi
Latitude	36.3213
Longitude	-105.8143
Timezone	Mountain (MT)
Area code	575/505

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	58.4%	56.4%	48.8%
$50k – $100k	23.8%	21.2%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	17.8%	17.5%	17.6%
Over $200k	0.0%	4.8%	4.1%

Demographics & statistics

308

Population

People per sq mi

44.1

Median age

$99,122

Median household income

$48,356

Per capita income

$262,700

Median home value

Median monthly rent

100.0%

Home ownership

22.1%

Poverty rate

0.0%

Unemployment

284

Housing units

78.1%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

35–44

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	107	34.7%
18 and over	201	65.3%
65 and over	66	21.4%
Median age	44.1 years

Race & ethnicity

White 77.9%

American Indian / Alaska Native 22.1%

Group	Count	%
White	240	77.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native	68	22.1%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	58.4%	56.4%	48.8%
$50k – $100k	23.8%	21.2%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	17.8%	17.5%	17.6%
Over $200k	0.0%	4.8%	4.1%

$10k–$15k 14.7%

$50k–$75k 19.3%

$75k–$100k 24.7%

$100k–$150k 14.7%

$150k–$200k 26.7%

Range	% of households
$10k–$15k	14.7%
$50k–$75k	19.3%
$75k–$100k	24.7%
$100k–$150k	14.7%
$150k–$200k	26.7%
Median income	$99,122

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 14.7%

$200k–$300k 60.7%

$300k–$500k 24.7%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$262,700
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	100.0%
Renter occupied	0.0%
Vacant	47.2%
Single-family detached	86.6%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	13.4%
Median rooms	4.7
Avg household size (owned)	2.05

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	0.0%
2000–2009	26.8%
1990–1999	41.9%
1980–1989	10.9%
1970–1979	9.9%
1960–1969	10.6%
1950–1959	0.0%
1940–1949	0.0%
1939 or earlier	0.0%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	5.3%
1 bedroom	4.9%
2 bedrooms	64.4%
3 bedrooms	25.4%
4 bedrooms	0.0%
5+ bedrooms	0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.0%
1 vehicle	48.7%
2 vehicles	51.3%
3 or more	0.0%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Propane / LP gas	24.7%
Wood	75.3%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	0	0.0%
Cohabiting couple	40	26.7%
Male householder, no spouse	51	34.0%
Female householder, no spouse	59	39.3%
Households with children under 18	62	41.3%
Households with seniors (65+)	66	44.0%
Average household size	2.05

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	68.1%	66.4%
Married	0.0%	0.0%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	31.9%	0.0%
Divorced	0.0%	33.6%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.0%

Some HS, no diploma 0.0%

HS graduate 10.9%

Some college, no degree 10.9%

Associate's degree 0.0%

Bachelor's degree 45.3%

Graduate / professional 32.8%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	100.0%
Bachelor's or higher	78.1%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	61	57.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	46	43.0%
High school	0	0.0%
College / grad school	0	0.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Professional & management 100.0%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	100.0%
Service	0.0%
Sales & office	0.0%
Natural resources & construction	0.0%
Production & transportation	0.0%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	100.0%
Government	0.0%
Self-employed	0.0%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	0.0%
Carpool	0.0%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	100.0%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	0.0

Poverty

All people 22.1%

Under 18 years 43.0%

18 and over 10.9%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 100.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	44.0%
Retirement income	58.7%
Supplemental Security	14.7%
Cash public assistance	14.7%
Food stamps / SNAP	14.7%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	25.1%
High blood pressure	39.5%
High cholesterol	37.3%
Diabetes	13.8%
Heart disease	9.0%
Stroke	4.3%
Asthma	10.2%
Arthritis	32.0%
Kidney disease	4.0%
Pulmonary disease	9.1%
Cancer	8.1%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	18.1%
Binge drinking	12.7%
No physical activity	19.7%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	31.0%
Depression	19.9%
Fair or poor health	16.1%
Poor mental health	13.2%
Poor physical health	13.3%
No health insurance	7.6%
Visited doctor (checkup)	70.6%
Visited dentist	65.2%
Cholesterol screening	92.3%
Teeth loss	13.8%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	29	14.4%

Disability	%
Any disability	9.4%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	0.0%
65 and over	43.9%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	28.6%
Public insurance	92.9%
No insurance	0.0%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	247	80.2%
Spanish	0	0.0%
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)	308	100.0%
Born in same state	308	100.0%
Born in different state	129	41.9%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	0	0.0%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	48.7%
Internet access	100.0%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 87517

What city is ZIP code 87517 in?

ZIP code 87517 is primarily assigned to Carson, New Mexico.

What county is ZIP code 87517 in?

ZIP code 87517 falls within Taos County, New Mexico.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 87517?

78% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — well above the national average of ~33%, reflecting a highly educated population.

Is ZIP code 87517 family-oriented?

35% of residents in ZIP code 87517 are under 18, reflecting a younger, family-oriented community.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 87517?

22% of residents in ZIP code 87517 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Does ZIP code 87517 have a large retiree population?

44% of households in ZIP code 87517 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What timezone is ZIP code 87517 in?

ZIP code 87517 observes the MST timezone.