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COUNTY

Chaves County

New Mexico · 63,364 residents (2025 est.) · 6,067.178 sq mi
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The short version

Chaves County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $52,938. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $156,400. The poverty rate of 24.3% is well above the national figure.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 51%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
64,217
+5%since 2000
from 61,382 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
11 / sq mi
+3%since 2009
from 10 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
37.2
+6%since 2000
from 35.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:63,364 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
57K59K62K64K67K1990201020202024Chaves County
202464K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.7%(3,692)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.9%(4,451)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.1%(4,574)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 198.2%(5,235)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.7%(4,307)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.9%(8,310)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413%(8,365)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.9%(7,011)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412%(7,703)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.6%(6,178)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.9%(3,126)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2%(1,265)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$52,938
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,513 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$28,881
+93%since 2000
from $14,990 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
34.9%
+16.6 ptssince 2009
from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
24.3%
+3.0 ptssince 2000
from 21.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.498
+14%since 2010
from 0.436 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.9%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance7.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical6.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing6.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Wholesale trade5.9%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade5.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services4.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Construction4%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration2.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Manufacturing2.4%
US avg: 0.4%
Transportation & warehousing1.7%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$156,400
+51%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $56,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$867
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $402 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
71.3%
+0.4 ptssince 2000
from 70.9% in 2000
28.7% rent
Vacancy rate
11.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
22.4%
+4.2 ptssince 2009
from 18.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
40.8%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 39.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.0
+33%since 2009
from 2.2 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
32
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Chaves County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic52.1%(31,970)
Black1.8%(1,088)
Hispanic / Latino43.8%(26,904)
Asian0.5%(290)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic36.1%(23,168)
Black1.5%(971)
Hispanic / Latino58.4%(37,529)
Asian1.1%(698)
Other2.9%(1,851)
Diversity Score
66
−3%since 2009
from 68 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
20
−7%since 2020
from 22 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican48.4%(31,101)
Spaniard0.9%(591)
Puerto Rican0.4%(277)
Nicaraguan0.1%(92)
Venezuelan0.1%(85)
Guatemalan0.1%(79)
Cuban0%(32)
Honduran0%(11)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Chilean0%(7)
Asian origin
Filipino0.5%(312)
Japanese0.4%(236)
Asian Indian0.3%(213)
Vietnamese0.1%(93)
Chinese0.1%(75)
Korean0%(26)
Thai0%(18)
Pakistani0%(18)
Pacific Islander origin
Tongan0.1%(73)
Chamorro0.1%(40)
Samoan0%(30)
Fijian0%(4)
Ancestry
American8%(5,118)
German6.4%(4,122)
English6.2%(3,975)
Irish5.4%(3,495)
Scottish1.1%(699)
French0.9%(564)
Swedish0.7%(453)
Polish0.6%(380)
Italian0.6%(369)
Norwegian0.5%(323)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(287)
Dutch0.3%(191)
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data
Danish0.3%(169)
Welsh0.2%(135)
British0.2%(100)
Portuguese0.1%(78)
Arab0.1%(65)
Swiss0.1%(46)
Czech0.1%(45)
Iranian0.1%(45)
Slovak0.1%(42)
Syrian0.1%(40)
Russian0.1%(38)
Finnish0.1%(34)
Lebanese0%(25)
Austrian0%(24)
Latvian0%(14)
Greek0%(10)
Israeli0%(3)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest American population · Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
17.9%
+1.7 ptssince 2000
from 16.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
80.9%
+8.4 ptssince 2000
from 72.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
7.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2000
from 6.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.3 min
+65%since 2000
from 11.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
81.8%
+7.3 ptssince 2009
from 74.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.4%
−8.9 ptssince 2009
from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
5.4%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.4%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.5%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.0%
−0.8 ptssince 2011
from 5.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
55.8%
−3.9 ptssince 2011
from 59.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
16.9%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
31.2%
−27.8 ptssince 2009
from 59.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 49.5% in 2009
Female
49.7%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 50.5% in 2009
Foreign born
11.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.5%
−42.1 ptssince 2009
from 48.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
19.6%
+2.9 ptssince 2012
from 16.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.8%
−69.5 ptssince 2013
from 80.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
83.0%
+15.1 ptssince 2017
from 67.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
65.0%
+1.4 ptssince 2016
from 63.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
33.2%
−1.4 ptssince 2016
from 34.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married41.1%(10,611)
Married42.7%(11,017)
Widowed4.1%(1,067)
Divorced12%(3,102)
Women 15+
Never married29.7%(7,622)
Married43%(11,050)
Widowed10.2%(2,630)
Divorced17.1%(4,401)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Chaves County to nearby counties

CHAVES COUNTY VS
Lincoln County
Income$53,303+1%
Home value$233,200+49%
Population19,844−69%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHAVES COUNTY VS
Eddy County
Income$78,426+48%
Home value$212,600+36%
Population62,509−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHAVES COUNTY VS
De Baca County
Income$40,804−23%
Home value$187,500+20%
Population1,647−97%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHAVES COUNTY VS
Lea County
Income$68,015+28%
Home value$184,000+18%
Population74,749+18%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Chaves County, New Mexico?

Chaves County, New Mexico has about 64,217 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Chaves County, New Mexico?

The typical household in Chaves County, New Mexico earns about $52,938 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Chaves County, New Mexico expensive?

In Chaves County, New Mexico, the median home is worth about $156,400, and the typical rent is about $867 a month.

How educated are people in Chaves County, New Mexico?

About 17.9% of adults age 25 and over in Chaves County, New Mexico hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Chaves County, New Mexico?

About 24.3% of people in Chaves County, New Mexico live below the federal poverty line.

Has Chaves County, New Mexico grown since 1990?

Yes, Chaves County, New Mexico has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,368 residents, a change of about 11 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

17 census tracts
Census Tract 10.01Census Tract 8Census Tract 11.01Census Tract 7Census Tract 4Census Tract 6Census Tract 10.02Census Tract 11.02Census Tract 9Census Tract 2.02Census Tract 13Census Tract 2.01Census Tract 3.01Census Tract 3.02Census Tract 14Census Tract 5Census Tract 12
7 ZIP codes
ZIP 88203ZIP 88201ZIP 88230ZIP 88232ZIP 88253ZIP 88339ZIP 88250
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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