88044 ZIP Code — La Mesa, NM

Dona Ana County, New Mexico

ZIP code 88044 is located in La Mesa, New Mexico, within Dona Ana County. It covers approximately 594.34 square miles and serves a population of 2,499 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 575.

About ZIP code 88044

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $154,200. Owner-occupancy is high at 83%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $54,485. SNAP benefit usage at 19% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 47% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is service, with agriculture and mining as the leading industry. The average commute of 31 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 16% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (16%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 12% of civilians, above the national average of 7%; and Spanish spoken in 26% of households; and disability rates above the national average at 23%.

Overall, ZIP code 88044 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, a strong veteran community, high homeownership, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

2,499

population

594.34

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

88044 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 88044

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 88044. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
La Mesa	Acceptable
La Mesa	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

88021 Anthony (17.2 mi) 88005 Las Cruces (19.5 mi) 88047 Mesilla Park (19.9 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	2,499
Population density	4 / sq mi
State FIPS	35
County FIPS	013

Geography
Land area	594.34 sq mi
Water area	0.47 sq mi
Latitude	32.0055
Longitude	-106.9452
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	59.3%	55.2%	48.8%
$50k – $100k	27.8%	27.2%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	11.0%	15.1%	17.6%
Over $200k	1.9%	2.4%	4.1%

Demographics & statistics

2,499

Population

People per sq mi

38.7

Median age

$54,485

Median household income

$26,289

Per capita income

$154,200

Median home value

$522

Median monthly rent

82.8%

Home ownership

15.6%

Poverty rate

6.4%

Unemployment

1,114

Housing units

15.9%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

254

10–14

183

15–19

20–24

25–34

176

35–44

127

154

45–54

110

55–59

60–64

265

65–74

190

108

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	703	28.1%
18 and over	1,796	71.9%
65 and over	673	26.9%
Median age	38.7 years

Race & ethnicity

White 40.3%

Hispanic or Latino 28.7%

Other race 18.9%

Two or more races 9.8%

American Indian / Alaska Native 1.5%

Asian 0.7%

Group	Count	%
White	1,414	40.3%
Hispanic or Latino	1,008	28.7%
Other race	663	18.9%
Two or more races	345	9.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	53	1.5%
Asian	24	0.7%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	59.3%	55.2%	48.8%
$50k – $100k	27.8%	27.2%	29.4%
$100k – $200k	11.0%	15.1%	17.6%
Over $200k	1.9%	2.4%	4.1%

Under $10k 1.7%

$10k–$15k 6.2%

$15k–$25k 16.8%

$25k–$35k 7.7%

$35k–$50k 15.6%

$50k–$75k 16.2%

$75k–$100k 13.6%

$100k–$150k 13.9%

$150k–$200k 5.1%

$200k+ 3.2%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	1.7%
$10k–$15k	6.2%
$15k–$25k	16.8%
$25k–$35k	7.7%
$35k–$50k	15.6%
$50k–$75k	16.2%
$75k–$100k	13.6%
$100k–$150k	13.9%
$150k–$200k	5.1%
$200k+	3.2%
Median income	$54,485

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 18.1%

$50k–$100k 9.8%

$100k–$150k 21.2%

$150k–$200k 10.1%

$200k–$300k 21.0%

$300k–$500k 17.5%

$500k–$1M 2.3%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$154,200
Median rent / month	$522
Owner occupied	82.8%
Renter occupied	17.2%
Vacant	29.2%
Single-family detached	68.2%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	27.2%
Median rooms	5.1
Avg household size (owned)	2.89

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	3.4%
2000–2009	14.1%
1990–1999	25.4%
1980–1989	11.3%
1970–1979	22.0%
1960–1969	3.4%
1950–1959	1.9%
1940–1949	5.8%
1939 or earlier	12.8%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	3.1%
1 bedroom	3.2%
2 bedrooms	20.3%
3 bedrooms	61.9%
4 bedrooms	11.6%
5+ bedrooms	0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.8%
1 vehicle	13.8%
2 vehicles	49.3%
3 or more	36.2%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	73.4%
Electricity	17.2%
Propane / LP gas	9.3%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	489	54.4%
Cohabiting couple	16	1.8%
Male householder, no spouse	243	27.0%
Female householder, no spouse	151	16.8%
Households with children under 18	261	29.0%
Households with seniors (65+)	414	46.1%
Average household size	2.78

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	24.8%	17.7%
Married	50.9%	63.7%
Separated	2.7%	0.9%
Widowed	3.0%	7.9%
Divorced	18.4%	9.9%

Education

Less than 9th grade 17.6%

Some HS, no diploma 5.8%

HS graduate 27.6%

Some college, no degree 22.9%

Associate's degree 10.2%

Bachelor's degree 9.5%

Graduate / professional 6.4%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	76.6%
Bachelor's or higher	15.9%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	23	3.3%
Kindergarten	26	3.7%
Elementary school	453	64.1%
High school	104	14.7%
College / grad school	101	14.3%

Employment

Industry of employment

Agriculture & mining 20.4%

Education & healthcare 18.6%

Transportation & utilities 13.1%

Retail trade 11.4%

Arts, food & hospitality 9.6%

Public administration 8.4%

Professional & management 5.3%

Manufacturing 3.9%

Construction 3.8%

Finance & real estate 2.9%

Wholesale trade 1.7%

Other services 0.7%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	25.6%
Service	27.2%
Sales & office	13.6%
Natural resources & construction	12.8%
Production & transportation	20.9%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	75.0%
Government	23.1%
Self-employed	1.9%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	89.4%
Carpool	7.0%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	1.5%
Work from home	2.0%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	30.6

Poverty

All people 15.6%

Under 18 years 14.8%

18 and over 15.9%

Married-couple families 22.1%

Female-led households 18.3%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	47.4%
Retirement income	31.9%
Supplemental Security	19.5%
Cash public assistance	4.7%
Food stamps / SNAP	19.4%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	32.8%
High blood pressure	34.5%
High cholesterol	32.7%
Diabetes	15.9%
Heart disease	7.3%
Stroke	3.8%
Asthma	10.1%
Arthritis	25.4%
Kidney disease	4.1%
Pulmonary disease	6.5%
Cancer	5.4%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	17.2%
Binge drinking	11.8%
No physical activity	30.2%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	33.4%
Depression	19.2%
Fair or poor health	21.9%
Poor mental health	14.9%
Poor physical health	14.0%
No health insurance	20.7%
Visited doctor (checkup)	70.7%
Visited dentist	57.5%
Cholesterol screening	86.4%
Teeth loss	15.6%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	208	11.6%

Disability	%
Any disability	23.3%
Under 18	10.4%
18–64 years	13.7%
65 and over	52.7%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	49.5%
Public insurance	57.7%
No insurance	9.9%
Uninsured under 19	19.4%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	2,376	95.1%
Spanish	622	26.2%
Other Indo-European	622	26.2%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	2,006	80.3%
Born in same state	2,006	80.3%
Born in different state	1,117	44.7%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	493	19.7%
Not a US citizen	310	62.9%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	64	2.6%
Italian	51	2%

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	40	1.6%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	36.0%
Internet access	89.5%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 88044

What city is ZIP code 88044 in?

ZIP code 88044 is primarily assigned to La Mesa, New Mexico.

What county is ZIP code 88044 in?

ZIP code 88044 falls within Dona Ana County, New Mexico.

Does ZIP code 88044 have an older population?

27% of residents in ZIP code 88044 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Is Spanish widely spoken in ZIP code 88044?

Approximately 26% of households in ZIP code 88044 speak Spanish as a primary language.

Does ZIP code 88044 have a large retiree population?

47% of households in ZIP code 88044 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Is ZIP code 88044 mostly owner-occupied?

83% of occupied units in ZIP code 88044 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

What timezone is ZIP code 88044 in?

ZIP code 88044 observes the MST timezone.