About ZIP 87044

ZIP code 87044 serves Ponderosa in Sandoval, New Mexico. It centers near 35.6600°, -106.6675° and, by population, qualifies as a very small or essentially rural ZIP. Roughly 160 people are estimated to live within its boundaries based on the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2018–2022).

The median household earns about $55,625 per year here. The typical owner-occupied home is valued near $157,100, and asking rents on the open market sit around — per month. Compared to the rest of New Mexico, that makes 87044 noticeably pricier than the state average. Looking at the entire state, the average ZIP code reports a median income closer to $35,464 and a median home value of $119,071.

The median resident is around 61.8 years old, and roughly 18.8% of the population holds at least a bachelor's degree.

Cost of living read

If you're considering a move into 87044, the most useful exercise is to compare the housing math against your current ZIP. Here, a typical home runs $157,100 and a typical rental runs — a month. Translate that into your own budget:

At a 7% 30-year mortgage with 20% down, financing the median home here lands monthly principal & interest near $836 — before property tax, insurance, or HOA dues.
Renting the median unit at —/mo costs roughly — per year, or about 0.0% of the local median household income.
For movers from substantially cheaper or more expensive metros, the home-value gap (+$38,029 versus the state average of $119,071) is often the single biggest line item to plan for.

Who lives here

The age and education profile of a ZIP tells you a lot about what daily life feels like there. With a median age of 61.8 and a population of 160, ZIP 87044 reads as an older-skewing area, often retirement-oriented or in a slower-growth region.

Geography & nearby ZIPs

This ZIP centers at 35.6600, -106.6675. The eight closest neighboring ZIP codes are listed below — useful if you're scoping out the surrounding area, comparing schools, or just want a feel for the broader neighborhood than this one boundary captures.

87024 Jemez Pueblo, NM 87053 San Ysidro, NM 87025 Jemez Springs, NM 87072 Cochiti Pueblo, NM 87083 Cochiti Lake, NM 87144 Rio Rancho, NM 87041 Pena Blanca, NM 87052 Santo Domingo Pueblo, NM

Race & ethnicity (2019–2023 ACS)

The U.S. Census Bureau's 2019–2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates (table B03002) count 252 people in this ZIP Code Tabulation Area — a newer, supplemental release added alongside the core figures above. See the methodology page for why the core figures themselves have not yet been refreshed to this vintage.

Group	Count	% of total
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	86	34.1%
White alone (not Hispanic or Latino)	115	45.6%
Black or African American alone (not Hispanic or Latino)	0	0.0%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone (not Hispanic or Latino)	0	0.0%
Asian alone (not Hispanic or Latino)	0	0.0%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone (not Hispanic or Latino)	0	0.0%
Some other race alone (not Hispanic or Latino)	10	4.0%
Two or more races (not Hispanic or Latino)	41	16.3%

Poverty status (2019–2023 ACS)

Of the 252 residents here for whom the Census Bureau determines poverty status (table B17001), 98 (38.9%) were below the poverty line in the past 12 months.

Commuting (2019–2023 ACS)

Among the 90 workers age 16+ here who did not work from home (table B08303), the Census Bureau's own travel-time brackets break down like this:

Travel time to work	Workers	% of workers
Less than 5 minutes	9	10.0%
5 to 9 minutes	17	18.9%
10 to 14 minutes	0	0.0%
15 to 19 minutes	0	0.0%
20 to 24 minutes	4	4.4%
25 to 29 minutes	0	0.0%
30 to 34 minutes	0	0.0%
35 to 39 minutes	32	35.6%
40 to 44 minutes	6	6.7%
45 to 59 minutes	10	11.1%
60 to 89 minutes	12	13.3%
90 minutes or more	0	0.0%

Housing occupancy (2019–2023 ACS)

Of the 210 housing units counted here (table B25002), 144 (68.6%) were occupied and 66 (31.4%) were vacant.

How to use this profile

Treat ZipLocal Guide as a starting point — never the final word — when you're researching a relocation. The Census ACS data on this page are reliable medians for the ZIP code tabulation area, but they tell you nothing about which side of the freeway you should live on, which streets the local high schoolers actually walk to school, or how the neighborhood has changed since the 2022 estimate window. For those, walk the area, talk to people on the street, and verify your assumptions with a local agent or community group.

If you find this neighborhood interesting, the easiest next step is to view all ZIPs in Ponderosa or browse the rest of New Mexico.

ZIP Code 87044 — Ponderosa, NM