87537 ZIP Code — Hernandez, NM

Rio Arriba County, New Mexico

ZIP code 87537 is located in Hernandez, New Mexico, within Rio Arriba County. It covers approximately 141.58 square miles and serves a population of 2,561 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 505.

About ZIP code 87537

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 $196,500. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 72%.

Median household income is $48,000. Poverty affects 30% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 30% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 35% 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. The average commute of 24 minutes is near the national average.

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

Overall, ZIP code 87537 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

2,561

population

141.58

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

87537 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 87537

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 87537. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Hernandez	Acceptable

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	2,561
Population density	18 / sq mi
State FIPS	35
County FIPS	039

Geography
Land area	141.58 sq mi
Water area	0.19 sq mi
Latitude	36.0548
Longitude	-106.2501
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	59.6%	56.2%	48.8%
$50k – $100k	25.2%	27.3%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	12.9%	13.5%	17.6%
Over $200k	2.3%	3.0%	4.1%

Demographics & statistics

2,561

Population

People per sq mi

34.8

Median age

$48,000

Median household income

$24,726

Per capita income

$196,500

Median home value

$585

Median monthly rent

71.8%

Home ownership

30.4%

Poverty rate

4.0%

Unemployment

854

Housing units

7.3%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

129

180

5–9

262

113

10–14

165

15–19

20–24

25–34

112

144

35–44

208

108

45–54

157

55–59

60–64

131

65–74

190

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	993	38.8%
18 and over	1,568	61.2%
65 and over	433	16.9%
Median age	34.8 years

Race & ethnicity

White 38.6%

Hispanic or Latino 29.1%

Other race 26.5%

American Indian / Alaska Native 3%

Two or more races 2.7%

Group	Count	%
White	1,396	38.6%
Hispanic or Latino	1,051	29.1%
Other race	956	26.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	109	3%
Two or more races	99	2.7%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	59.6%	56.2%	48.8%
$50k – $100k	25.2%	27.3%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	12.9%	13.5%	17.6%
Over $200k	2.3%	3.0%	4.1%

Under $10k 11.5%

$10k–$15k 14.8%

$15k–$25k 14.6%

$25k–$35k 3.9%

$35k–$50k 5.7%

$50k–$75k 23.8%

$75k–$100k 3.3%

$100k–$150k 13.9%

$150k–$200k 0.6%

$200k+ 8.0%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	11.5%
$10k–$15k	14.8%
$15k–$25k	14.6%
$25k–$35k	3.9%
$35k–$50k	5.7%
$50k–$75k	23.8%
$75k–$100k	3.3%
$100k–$150k	13.9%
$150k–$200k	0.6%
$200k+	8.0%
Median income	$48,000

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 2.5%

$50k–$100k 20.6%

$100k–$150k 11.7%

$150k–$200k 16.4%

$200k–$300k 34.8%

$300k–$500k 8.1%

$500k–$1M 1.2%

$1M+ 4.8%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$196,500
Median rent / month	$585
Owner occupied	71.8%
Renter occupied	28.2%
Vacant	18.2%
Single-family detached	38.4%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	60.5%
Median rooms	4.7
Avg household size (owned)	3.01

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	6.2%
2000–2009	9.0%
1990–1999	16.9%
1980–1989	19.7%
1970–1979	36.3%
1960–1969	5.9%
1950–1959	2.5%
1940–1949	0.0%
1939 or earlier	3.4%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	3.6%
1 bedroom	2.5%
2 bedrooms	25.0%
3 bedrooms	52.7%
4 bedrooms	13.2%
5+ bedrooms	3.1%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	2.0%
1 vehicle	31.9%
2 vehicles	20.5%
3 or more	45.6%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	50.9%
Electricity	16.5%
Propane / LP gas	4.2%
Fuel oil	0.4%
Wood	27.9%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	354	39.0%
Cohabiting couple	64	7.0%
Male householder, no spouse	118	13.0%
Female householder, no spouse	372	41.0%
Households with children under 18	315	34.7%
Households with seniors (65+)	269	29.6%
Average household size	2.82

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	34.3%	43.6%
Married	55.2%	38.7%
Separated	4.4%	0.0%
Widowed	0.9%	9.6%
Divorced	5.3%	8.1%

Education

Less than 9th grade 2.3%

Some HS, no diploma 15.5%

HS graduate 33.0%

Some college, no degree 33.1%

Associate's degree 8.7%

Bachelor's degree 4.3%

Graduate / professional 3.0%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	82.1%
Bachelor's or higher	7.3%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	686	82.2%
High school	107	12.8%
College / grad school	42	5.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 30.0%

Professional & management 21.7%

Construction 14.5%

Other services 9.9%

Retail trade 9.5%

Arts, food & hospitality 7.4%

Finance & real estate 3.6%

Manufacturing 1.6%

Transportation & utilities 0.6%

Information 0.6%

Public administration 0.5%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	32.6%
Service	42.8%
Sales & office	9.4%
Natural resources & construction	11.6%
Production & transportation	3.6%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	64.9%
Government	33.7%
Self-employed	1.4%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	80.0%
Carpool	4.9%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	1.5%
Work from home	12.8%
Other means	0.7%
Avg commute (minutes)	23.5

Poverty

All people 30.4%

Under 18 years 42.3%

18 and over 22.9%

Married-couple families 5.9%

Female-led households 59.5%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	35.1%
Retirement income	34.9%
Supplemental Security	14.4%
Cash public assistance	1.3%
Food stamps / SNAP	29.6%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	32.3%
High blood pressure	27.6%
High cholesterol	27.7%
Diabetes	13.4%
Heart disease	5.3%
Stroke	2.6%
Asthma	9.4%
Arthritis	21.5%
Kidney disease	3.1%
Pulmonary disease	4.2%
Cancer	4.2%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	14.5%
Binge drinking	14.2%
No physical activity	25.2%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	31.2%
Depression	17.7%
Fair or poor health	17.4%
Poor mental health	13.8%
Poor physical health	11.0%
No health insurance	18.7%
Visited doctor (checkup)	68.3%
Visited dentist	61.9%
Cholesterol screening	86.5%
Teeth loss	12.6%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	93	5.9%

Disability	%
Any disability	19.7%
Under 18	5.2%
18–64 years	24.1%
65 and over	41.3%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	48.6%
Public insurance	59.8%
No insurance	3.4%
Uninsured under 19	3.7%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	2,343	91.5%
Spanish	30	1.3%
Other Indo-European	30	1.3%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	2,546	99.4%
Born in same state	2,542	99.3%
Born in different state	2,415	94.3%
Foreign born	4	0.2%
Naturalized citizen	15	0.6%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	57	2.2%
Arab	7	0.3%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	6	0.2%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	35.5%
Internet access	75.2%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 87537

What city is ZIP code 87537 in?

ZIP code 87537 is primarily assigned to Hernandez, New Mexico.

What county is ZIP code 87537 in?

ZIP code 87537 falls within Rio Arriba County, New Mexico.

Is ZIP code 87537 family-oriented?

39% of residents in ZIP code 87537 are under 18, reflecting a younger, family-oriented community.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 87537?

30% of residents in ZIP code 87537 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 87537?

7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

Does ZIP code 87537 have a large retiree population?

35% of households in ZIP code 87537 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What timezone is ZIP code 87537 in?

ZIP code 87537 observes the MST timezone.