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Where 88242 is
Approximate ZIP boundary (Census ZCTA 2020). ZIP codes are mail routes, not areas, so the shape shown is the Census tabulation area that approximates it.
- 🔢 Type 88242 into a pocket calculator and turn it upside down: ZhZBB — not quite a word, sorry.
- ➕ As a number, 88,242 = 2 × 3 × 7 × 11 × 191. Its digits add up to 24, a total 2,425 other ZIP codes share.
- 💾In binary, the way a computer stores it:
10101100010110010 - 🏠 Its numerical neighbours: 88241 (Hobbs, NM, 6 mi away) and 88244 (Hobbs, NM, 5 mi away).
- 🔄 Backwards, 88242 becomes 24288, which is not a ZIP code at all.
- 👥 12 other ZIP codes are made of exactly the same digits (22488, 22848, 24828, 24882, 28284, 28428, …). The farthest-flung twin is 22488 in Kinsale, VA, 1,533 miles away.
- 🧭 Farther south than 85% of all ZIP codes, and farther west than 81%.
- 🎯548 miles southwest of the geographic center of the Lower 48, near Lebanon, Kansas.
- 🌏 Dig straight through the Earth from 88242 and you would come out at 32.81°S, 76.84°E — 1,192 miles from Port-aux-Français, French Southern Territories, the nearest big city to that spot.
- ☀Longest day of the year: 14h 19m of daylight. Shortest: 9h 59m.
- 📏 At 70.4 square miles of land, 88242 is bigger than 69% of ZIP codes — room for about 53 Central Parks.
- Working out the sun…
- Checking the USGS…
Source: USGS.
People and housing
| Population | 8,472This ZIP8,472 |
|---|---|
| Households | 2,742This ZIP2,742 |
| Housing units | 2,967This ZIP2,967 |
| Median age | 32.5This ZIP32.5New Mexico39.4US 38.9 |
| Median household income | $90,000This ZIP$90,000New Mexico$64,059US $80,734 |
| Median home value | $260,200This ZIP$260,200New Mexico$248,100US $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,534This ZIP$1,534New Mexico$1,067US $1,413 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0%This ZIP20.0% |
| Mean commute | 22.9 minThis ZIP22.9 min |
| Population density | 120.4 / sq miThis ZIP120.4 / sq mi |
Business and tax activity
| Business establishments | 85This ZIP85 |
|---|---|
| Employees | 1,158This ZIP1,158 |
| Annual payroll | $63,487,000This ZIP$63,487,000 |
| Tax returns filed | 3,290This ZIP3,290 |
| Total adjusted gross income | $305,748,000This ZIP$305,748,000 |
Land area
| Land area | 70.37 sq miThis ZIP70.37 sq mi |
|---|---|
| Water area | 0.08 sq miThis ZIP0.08 sq mi |
Other place names in 88242
Census places whose land this ZIP code overlaps. The Postal Service may accept other city names in an address, too.
ZIP codes near 88242
| ZIP | City | Distance |
|---|---|---|
88244 | Hobbs, NM | 5.0 mi |
88241 | Hobbs, NM | 5.5 mi |
79323 | Denver City, TX | 17.1 mi |
88260 | Lovington, NM | 17.9 mi |
88265 | Monument, NM | 19.1 mi |
88240 | Hobbs, NM | 19.1 mi |
88262 | Mcdonald, NM | 25.8 mi |
79360 | Seminole, TX | 26.8 mi |
88231 | Eunice, NM | 27.5 mi |
79355 | Plains, TX | 28.9 mi |
Find every ZIP code within 10 miles of 88242 →
Questions about this ZIP code
Where is ZIP code 88242?
88242 is in Hobbs, New Mexico, in Lea County, part of the Hobbs, NM micropolitan area. Its published point location is 32.8129, -103.1618.
What county is 88242 in?
88242 lies in Lea County.
What area code is 88242?
Hobbs uses area code 575, from NANPA's telephone records.
What time zone is 88242 in?
88242 uses America/Denver.
How many people live in 88242?
About 8,472 people live in ZIP code 88242, in 2,742 households, at 120.4 people per square mile. These are American Community Survey 5-year estimates for the ZIP Code Tabulation Area, not a headcount.
What is the median household income in 88242?
$90,000 a year, against $64,059 across New Mexico.
What ZIP codes are near 88242?
The closest are 88244 (5 mi), 88241 (5.5 mi), 79323 (17.1 mi), 88260 (17.9 mi) and 88265 (19.1 mi).
Is 88242 a PO Box ZIP code?
88242 is a standard ZIP code. A normal ZIP code with street delivery.
Download or cite
Cite this page
zipcodes.pro. “88242 ZIP Code — Hobbs, New Mexico (Lea County).” Data release 2026-10-12. Retrieved 2026-10-20. https://zipcodes.pro/zip/88242
Machine-readable version of these facts:
curl https://zipcodes.pro/zip/88242.jsonUnderlying data is public domain or openly licensed — sources, vintages and licences.