ZIP Code 88253 — Lake Arthur town, NM Demographics & Data

ZIP code 88253 covers Lake Arthur, NM in Chaves County with a population of about 915.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 45.5 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area code 575; U.S. House district NM-3; the ALBUQUERQUE - SANTA FE media market.

Median household income in ZIP 88253 is about $122,625 — about 63% above the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 8.4%; unemployment rate near 2.4%; 18.9% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 14.8 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Mining, Other services, and Education; about 1.6% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 13.6 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $217,300 — about 38% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $850 (about 27% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 76.5% (about 11.1 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 88253 in Lake Arthur, NM, a household would need roughly $60,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $1,396. That sits below the local median household income ($122,625), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Lake Arthur town, NM as Relatively Moderate (composite score 87.6), which is elevated versus much of the country. The strongest component scores on US5 are wildfire (92.5) and flood (92.3). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Lake Arthur town, NM show little to no average snow and around 12.9 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 29 for ZIP 88253 (Lake Arthur town, NM) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.