87521 ZIP Code — Chamisal, NM

Taos County, New Mexico

ZIP code 87521 is located in Chamisal, New Mexico, within Taos County. It covers approximately 100.93 square miles and serves a population of 880 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 505.

About ZIP code 87521

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $185,000. Owner-occupancy is high at 81%, well above the national average.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with arts, entertainment, and food service as the leading industry. An above-average commute of 47 minutes suggests many residents work outside the immediate area.

College attainment at 13% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (17%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 16% of civilians, above the national average of 7%; and disability rates above the national average at 24%.

Overall, ZIP code 87521 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, a strong veteran community, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

880
population
100.93
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Mountain (MT)
timezone
87521 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 87521

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 87521. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City Status
Chamisal Acceptable
Chamisal Preferred
Nearby ZIP codes
87579 Vadito (1.6 mi) 87715 Cleveland (10.2 mi) 87557 Ranchos De Taos (10.9 mi) 87553 Penasco (10.9 mi) 87713 Chacon (11.2 mi) 87723 Holman (11.9 mi) 87522 Chimayo (13 mi) 87732 Mora (13 mi)
Demographics updated 05/2026
Population
Total population 880
Population density 9 / sq mi
State FIPS 35
County FIPS 055
Geography
Land area 100.93 sq mi
Water area 0.03 sq mi
Latitude 36.1217
Longitude -105.5771
Timezone Mountain (MT)
Area code 505
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics updated 05/2026
Household income
Income range This ZIP County avg State avg
Under $50k 66.8% 56.4% 48.8%
$50k – $100k 25.6% 21.2% 29.4%
$100k – $200k 7.6% 17.5% 17.6%
Over $200k 0.0% 4.8% 4.1%

Demographics & statistics

880
Population
9
People per sq mi
46.8
Median age
$0
Median household income
$25,699
Per capita income
$185,000
Median home value
$850
Median monthly rent
81.0%
Home ownership
19.2%
Poverty rate
7.2%
Unemployment
358
Housing units
12.8%
Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female
7
Under 5
4
21
5–9
15
30
10–14
21
64
15–19
44
10
20–24
7
47
25–34
32
37
35–44
25
79
45–54
54
39
55–59
27
12
60–64
8
116
65–74
79
29
75–84
20
31
85+
22
← Male
Female →

Age summary

GroupCount%
Under 1817419.8%
18 and over70680.2%
65 and over29733.8%
Median age46.8 years

Race & ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 37.5%
White 23.2%
Two or more races 22%
Other race 15.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Asian 0.8%
GroupCount%
Hispanic or Latino52837.5%
White32623.2%
Two or more races31022%
Other race22115.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native120.9%
Asian110.8%

Household income

Income range This ZIP County avg State avg
Under $50k 66.8% 56.4% 48.8%
$50k – $100k 25.6% 21.2% 29.4%
$100k – $200k 7.6% 17.5% 17.6%
Over $200k 0.0% 4.8% 4.1%
Under $10k 7.1%
$10k–$15k 25.9%
$15k–$25k 17.5%
$25k–$35k 5.6%
$35k–$50k 2.6%
$50k–$75k 16.7%
$75k–$100k 6.6%
$100k–$150k 13.5%
$150k–$200k 4.2%
$200k+ 0.3%
Range% of households
Under $10k7.1%
$10k–$15k25.9%
$15k–$25k17.5%
$25k–$35k5.6%
$35k–$50k2.6%
$50k–$75k16.7%
$75k–$100k6.6%
$100k–$150k13.5%
$150k–$200k4.2%
$200k+0.3%
Median income$0

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 2.0%
$50k–$100k 25.5%
$100k–$150k 9.5%
$150k–$200k 22.9%
$200k–$300k 23.2%
$300k–$500k 3.6%
$500k–$1M 13.1%
$1M+ 0.3%

Housing overview

MetricValue
Median home value$185,000
Median rent / month$850
Owner occupied81.0%
Renter occupied19.0%
Vacant12.1%
Single-family detached69.3%
Large apartment buildings0.0%
Mobile homes27.7%
Median rooms4.5
Avg household size (owned)2.56

Year built

Era%
2020 or later0.0%
2010–20192.1%
2000–20094.2%
1990–199912.3%
1980–198910.0%
1970–197914.7%
1960–19693.3%
1950–19593.5%
1940–194929.3%
1939 or earlier20.7%

Bedrooms

Size% of units
No bedroom (studio)2.6%
1 bedroom5.8%
2 bedrooms23.0%
3 bedrooms63.3%
4 bedrooms5.3%
5+ bedrooms0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles% of households
No vehicle14.3%
1 vehicle26.2%
2 vehicles16.9%
3 or more42.6%

Heating fuel

Fuel type%
Utility gas1.6%
Electricity2.9%
Propane / LP gas28.3%
Fuel oil8.5%
Wood54.5%
Solar3.4%

Households & families

Household typeCount%
Married-couple family14438.1%
Cohabiting couple195.0%
Male householder, no spouse12031.7%
Female householder, no spouse9525.1%
Households with children under 187920.9%
Households with seniors (65+)21155.8%
Average household size2.33

Marital status

StatusMaleFemale
Never married41.5%23.3%
Married37.4%47.8%
Separated0.0%0.9%
Widowed1.3%16.8%
Divorced19.8%11.2%

Education

Less than 9th grade 6.1%
Some HS, no diploma 7.9%
HS graduate 32.9%
Some college, no degree 28.5%
Associate's degree 11.9%
Bachelor's degree 9.9%
Graduate / professional 2.9%
Metric%
HS diploma or higher86.0%
Bachelor's or higher12.8%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

TypeCount%
Nursery / preschool21.1%
Kindergarten126.9%
Elementary school7140.6%
High school8045.7%
College / grad school105.7%

Employment

Industry of employment

Arts, food & hospitality 26.0%
Education & healthcare 25.7%
Professional & management 22.2%
Public administration 8.4%
Transportation & utilities 5.1%
Other services 4.5%
Construction 3.9%
Agriculture & mining 2.3%
Retail trade 1.3%
Information 0.3%
Finance & real estate 0.3%

Occupation

Category%
Management, business & arts47.9%
Service21.9%
Sales & office6.4%
Natural resources & construction7.1%
Production & transportation16.7%

Employment type

Type%
Private sector39.9%
Government44.1%
Self-employed16.1%
Unpaid family workers0.0%

Commute

Method%
Drive alone85.2%
Carpool3.3%
Public transit0.0%
Walk1.3%
Work from home10.2%
Other means0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)47.4

Poverty

All people 19.2%
Under 18 years 11.6%
18 and over 21.0%
Married-couple families 4.9%
Female-led households 20.0%

Income support

Source% of households
Social Security48.1%
Retirement income32.0%
Supplemental Security4.0%
Cash public assistance0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP7.9%

Health indicators

Condition%
Obesity29.2%
High blood pressure35.4%
High cholesterol33.3%
Diabetes17.1%
Heart disease7.6%
Stroke3.7%
Asthma9.5%
Arthritis26.4%
Kidney disease4.2%
Pulmonary disease6.0%
Cancer5.8%
Behavior / access%
Smoking15.2%
Binge drinking11.7%
No physical activity27.5%
Less than 7 hrs sleep31.2%
Depression17.0%
Fair or poor health20.8%
Poor mental health13.0%
Poor physical health13.4%
No health insurance17.5%
Visited doctor (checkup)69.8%
Visited dentist59.3%
Cholesterol screening89.8%
Teeth loss13.8%

Veterans & disability

VeteransCount%
Civilian veterans11416.1%
Disability%
Any disability24.4%
Under 1820.1%
18–64 years20.3%
65 and over32.7%

Health insurance coverage

Type%
Private insurance45.9%
Public insurance52.6%
No insurance8.9%
Uninsured under 191.5%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

LanguageCount%
English only86998.8%
Spanish161.8%
Other Indo-European161.8%
Asian & Pacific Islander00.0%
Other languages00.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

OriginCount%
Native born (US)86798.5%
Born in same state86798.5%
Born in different state73283.2%
Foreign born00.0%
Naturalized citizen131.5%
Not a US citizen00.0%

Ancestry

AncestryCount%
French283.2%
English141.6%
German91%
AncestryCount%
Italian40.5%
Arab10.1%

Technology access

Metric% of households
Computer access43.0%
Internet access70.4%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 87521

What city is ZIP code 87521 in?

ZIP code 87521 is primarily assigned to Chamisal, New Mexico.

What county is ZIP code 87521 in?

ZIP code 87521 falls within Taos County, New Mexico.

Does ZIP code 87521 have an older population?

34% of residents in ZIP code 87521 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Does ZIP code 87521 have a large retiree population?

48% of households in ZIP code 87521 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 87521?

13% 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 87521?

19% of residents in ZIP code 87521 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What timezone is ZIP code 87521 in?

ZIP code 87521 observes the MST timezone.

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