Portales is a city of 11,968 people in New Mexico. The median age is 27.1, younger than the US median of 38.9. Owners hold 48% of the housing stock. 28.1% of locals live below the federal poverty line. People stay put here: 73% were in the same home a year ago. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $133,400.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $50,555, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 27.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 40%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Portales
What changed most since 1990
Adults with a bachelor's degree21.1% → 25.4%(+4.3 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Homes owned by their occupants57.2% → 47.6%(−9.6 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Hispanic share33.2% → 49.8%(+16.6 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
Portales's population equals 63% of Roosevelt County's. Its number of households without a car equals 89% of the county's. Its number of people who work from home equals 48% of the county's.
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)68.6%(473)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)11.7%(81)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era16.2%(112)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.7%(12)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 690 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Portales, decade by decade
Portales population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
10,690
$38,790
$95,523
21.1%
61.3
2000
11,131
$44,918
$95,273
25.2%
66.6
2010
12,280
$43,351
$128,608
24.3%
69.3
2020
12,137
$50,308
$141,930
26.0%
73.2
2024
11,968
$50,555
$133,400
25.4%
71.9
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
