United States › New Mexico › Carlsbad CITY
Carlsbad New Mexico · 32,524 residents (2025 est.) · 31.7 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Carlsbad is a city of 31,746 people in New Mexico. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $200,000. 6,121 more people live here than in 2000. The foreign-born share is 9%. Density works out to 1,003 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 85%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 25,625 in 2000
32,524 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,003 / sq mi
+23%since 2009
from 813 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
24K 26K 29K 31K 33K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Carlsbad Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $72,306
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,658 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,496 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 23.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 16.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.439 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 15.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.1%
Public administration 2.4%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Education & health services 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$200,000
+85%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $59,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,236
+65%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $411 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 71.5% in 2000
29.8% rent
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.48 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.47 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 28.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.0 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 58.8%(15,070)
Hispanic / Latino 36.7%(9,417)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 39.6%(12,564)
Hispanic / Latino 53.5%(16,981)
from 68 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data from 14.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 77.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 72.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 18.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 62.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 66.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 32.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 78.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 75.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 22.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 38.8%(5,229)
Women 15+
Never married 24.9%(3,015)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 53.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 26.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 62.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 41.2% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 11.6%(183)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.1%(207)
Share of the 1,582 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Carlsbad Head to head
Compare Carlsbad to nearby cities CARLSBAD VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Carlsbad, New Mexico? Carlsbad, New Mexico has about 31,746 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Carlsbad, New Mexico? The typical household in Carlsbad, New Mexico earns about $72,306 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Carlsbad, New Mexico expensive? In Carlsbad, New Mexico, the median home is worth about $200,000, and the typical rent is about $1,236 a month.
How educated are people in Carlsbad, New Mexico? About 19.2% of adults age 25 and over in Carlsbad, New Mexico hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Carlsbad, New Mexico? About 13.8% of people in Carlsbad, New Mexico live below the federal poverty line.
Has Carlsbad, New Mexico grown since 1990? Yes, Carlsbad, New Mexico has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,850 residents, a change of about 28 percent over that period.
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