87520 ZIP Code — Chama, NM

Rio Arriba County, New Mexico

ZIP code 87520 is located in Chama, New Mexico, within Rio Arriba County. It covers approximately 259.11 square miles and serves a population of 1,212 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 575.

About ZIP code 87520

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 $206,500. Owner-occupancy is high at 86%, well above the national average.

The gap between median ($52,750) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up. 45% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with agriculture and mining as the leading industry. The average commute of 15 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 32% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (18%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include disability rates above the national average at 40%.

Overall, ZIP code 87520 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

1,212

population

259.11

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

87520 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 87520

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 87520. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Chama	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

87551 Los Ojos (14.9 mi) 87575 Tierra Amarilla (19.4 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	1,212
Population density	5 / sq mi
State FIPS	35
County FIPS	039

Geography
Land area	259.11 sq mi
Water area	0.55 sq mi
Latitude	36.8971
Longitude	-106.6049
Timezone	Mountain (MT)
Area code	575

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	57.5%	56.2%	48.8%
$50k – $100k	26.8%	27.3%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	9.1%	13.5%	17.6%
Over $200k	6.5%	3.0%	4.1%

Demographics & statistics

1,212

Population

People per sq mi

62.8

Median age

$52,750

Median household income

$38,192

Per capita income

$206,500

Median home value

Median monthly rent

85.5%

Home ownership

7.8%

Poverty rate

14.2%

Unemployment

1,101

Housing units

31.8%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

103

60–64

105

134

65–74

135

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	43	3.5%
18 and over	1,169	96.5%
65 and over	461	38.0%
Median age	62.8 years

Race & ethnicity

White 36.5%

Hispanic or Latino 31.3%

Other race 31.3%

Two or more races 0.6%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%

Group	Count	%
White	645	36.5%
Hispanic or Latino	553	31.3%
Other race	553	31.3%
Two or more races	11	0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native	3	0.2%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	57.5%	56.2%	48.8%
$50k – $100k	26.8%	27.3%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	9.1%	13.5%	17.6%
Over $200k	6.5%	3.0%	4.1%

Under $10k 4.0%

$10k–$15k 5.1%

$15k–$25k 16.5%

$25k–$35k 9.2%

$35k–$50k 13.8%

$50k–$75k 15.4%

$75k–$100k 11.0%

$100k–$150k 4.0%

$150k–$200k 11.2%

$200k+ 9.6%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	4.0%
$10k–$15k	5.1%
$15k–$25k	16.5%
$25k–$35k	9.2%
$35k–$50k	13.8%
$50k–$75k	15.4%
$75k–$100k	11.0%
$100k–$150k	4.0%
$150k–$200k	11.2%
$200k+	9.6%
Median income	$52,750

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 10.1%

$50k–$100k 8.8%

$100k–$150k 9.7%

$150k–$200k 19.4%

$200k–$300k 17.4%

$300k–$500k 22.6%

$500k–$1M 8.2%

$1M+ 3.9%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$206,500
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	85.5%
Renter occupied	14.5%
Vacant	53.9%
Single-family detached	75.5%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	20.2%
Median rooms	4.5
Avg household size (owned)	2.40

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	9.0%
2000–2009	16.2%
1990–1999	33.1%
1980–1989	7.8%
1970–1979	10.6%
1960–1969	14.2%
1950–1959	1.4%
1940–1949	0.9%
1939 or earlier	6.8%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	1.7%
1 bedroom	13.2%
2 bedrooms	31.8%
3 bedrooms	48.1%
4 bedrooms	3.7%
5+ bedrooms	1.4%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	8.6%
1 vehicle	33.6%
2 vehicles	35.8%
3 or more	21.9%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	50.7%
Electricity	0.6%
Propane / LP gas	13.8%
Wood	30.5%
Solar	2.6%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	310	57.0%
Cohabiting couple	58	10.7%
Male householder, no spouse	79	14.5%
Female householder, no spouse	97	17.8%
Households with children under 18	36	6.6%
Households with seniors (65+)	208	38.2%
Average household size	2.23

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	24.8%	14.8%
Married	64.1%	57.5%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	3.0%	15.9%
Divorced	8.1%	11.8%

Education

Less than 9th grade 3.3%

Some HS, no diploma 11.4%

HS graduate 28.6%

Some college, no degree 22.3%

Associate's degree 2.5%

Bachelor's degree 9.8%

Graduate / professional 22.0%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	85.3%
Bachelor's or higher	31.8%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	41	40.2%
High school	34	33.3%
College / grad school	27	26.5%

Employment

Industry of employment

Agriculture & mining 21.1%

Construction 18.1%

Transportation & utilities 13.0%

Retail trade 12.2%

Education & healthcare 10.4%

Professional & management 8.4%

Arts, food & hospitality 7.9%

Other services 3.3%

Finance & real estate 2.8%

Public administration 2.8%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	42.0%
Service	17.8%
Sales & office	20.6%
Natural resources & construction	14.5%
Production & transportation	5.1%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	66.4%
Government	20.4%
Self-employed	13.2%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	76.3%
Carpool	3.3%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	7.1%
Work from home	13.2%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	14.9

Poverty

All people 7.8%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 8.1%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	44.9%
Retirement income	38.1%
Supplemental Security	0.0%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	14.5%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	33.3%
High blood pressure	38.8%
High cholesterol	35.3%
Diabetes	17.6%
Heart disease	8.9%
Stroke	4.4%
Asthma	10.3%
Arthritis	33.4%
Kidney disease	4.5%
Pulmonary disease	8.3%
Cancer	7.1%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	17.5%
Binge drinking	11.4%
No physical activity	27.1%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	30.7%
Depression	18.9%
Fair or poor health	21.2%
Poor mental health	13.3%
Poor physical health	14.4%
No health insurance	14.0%
Visited doctor (checkup)	74.0%
Visited dentist	60.9%
Cholesterol screening	90.2%
Teeth loss	15.6%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	117	10.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	39.8%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	37.9%
65 and over	46.4%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	66.9%
Public insurance	54.0%
No insurance	6.9%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,212	100.0%
Spanish	5	0.4%
Other Indo-European	5	0.4%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,212	100.0%
Born in same state	1,212	100.0%
Born in different state	700	57.8%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	0	0.0%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	63	5.2%
Arab	56	4.6%

Ancestry	Count	%
French	37	3.1%
Norwegian	14	1.2%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	44.9%
Internet access	81.4%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 87520

What city is ZIP code 87520 in?

ZIP code 87520 is primarily assigned to Chama, New Mexico.

What county is ZIP code 87520 in?

ZIP code 87520 falls within Rio Arriba County, New Mexico.

Does ZIP code 87520 have an older population?

38% of residents in ZIP code 87520 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Is ZIP code 87520 mostly owner-occupied?

86% of occupied units in ZIP code 87520 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 87520 have a large retiree population?

45% of households in ZIP code 87520 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Does ZIP code 87520 have a large veteran population?

10% of civilians in ZIP code 87520 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What timezone is ZIP code 87520 in?

ZIP code 87520 observes the MST timezone.