COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Lea County

New Mexico · 55,765 residents · 4,392 sq mi

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The short version

Lea County is a county of 55,765 people in New Mexico. The typical home is worth $39,300. 22.4% of residents live below the federal poverty line. About 11% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Owners hold 72% of the housing stock. Median rent is $312 a month.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Younger

median age 30.5

US median: 33.0

Less educated

11% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

Stable housing

home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

55,765

Unchangedvs 2000

vs 55,511 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

30.5

−8%vs 2000

vs 33.1 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

4,392 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202474K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 58.6%(4,775)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 910.1%(5,623)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 149.5%(5,313)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.9%(4,426)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 245.8%(3,245)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3415.9%(8,894)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4413.8%(7,710)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 548.8%(4,911)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 648.7%(4,876)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 746.6%(3,673)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 843.3%(1,857)

US avg: 4%

85 and over0.8%(462)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$23,352

+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $29,799 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$10,025

−29%vs 2000

vs $14,184 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

22.4%

+1.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 21.1% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$39,300

+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $47,300 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$312

+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $388 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

71.5%

−1.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 72.6% in 2000

28.5% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic54%(29,977)

Black4.2%(2,340)

Hispanic / Latino39.6%(22,010)

Asian0.4%(198)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic82.3%(45,922)

Black4.3%(2,425)

Hispanic / Latino29.4%(16,419)

Asian0.5%(298)

Other12.8%(7,120)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican55.8%(41,160)

Central American0.8%(560)

Cuban0.5%(381)

Salvadoran0.5%(375)

Spaniard0.3%(238)

Guatemalan0.2%(166)

Puerto Rican0.2%(143)

Honduran0%(16)

Dominican0%(3)

Costa Rican0%(3)

Asian origin

Filipino0.7%(501)

Nepalese0.2%(169)

Pakistani0.1%(51)

Asian Indian0.1%(47)

Vietnamese0%(11)

Chinese0%(9)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0%(17)

Samoan0%(8)

Ancestry

German6%(4,398)

English5.6%(4,117)

American5.5%(4,051)

Irish5.1%(3,754)

Italian0.7%(544)

French0.7%(521)

Scottish0.5%(383)

Subsaharan African0.4%(315)

Dutch0.4%(267)

Welsh0.3%(257)

Scotch-Irish0.3%(212)

Norwegian0.2%(170)

+ 27 more ancestry groups with data

Danish0.2%(160)

Polish0.2%(141)

Czech0.2%(137)

Swedish0.2%(137)

Swiss0.1%(99)

French Canadian0.1%(90)

Greek0.1%(75)

British0.1%(55)

West Indian0.1%(52)

Hungarian0.1%(51)

Romanian0.1%(47)

Arab0.1%(45)

Brazilian0.1%(40)

Portuguese0%(32)

Belgian0%(30)

Nigerian0%(21)

Moroccan0%(16)

Russian0%(16)

Trinidadian & Tobagonian0%(16)

Jordanian0%(15)

Lebanese0%(14)

Kenyan0%(13)

Australian0%(10)

Slovak0%(10)

Haitian0%(7)

Canadian0%(4)

Ethiopian0%(4)

RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest Irish population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

11.5%

−0.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 11.6% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

63.8%

−3.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 67.1% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

3.9%

−0.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.2% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

15.8 min

+16%vs 2000

vs 13.7 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married40.4%(11,719)

Married47.1%(13,669)

Widowed3%(863)

Divorced9.6%(2,777)

Women 15+

Never married30%(8,069)

Married49.6%(13,327)

Widowed8.3%(2,243)

Divorced12%(3,228)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

14.9%

−7.6 ptssince 2013

from 22.5% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

41.4%

−5.4 ptssince 2020

from 46.8% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

8.1%

+0.1 ptssince 2020

from 8.0% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

13.0%

−0.1 ptssince 2020

from 13.1% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

35.9%

+5.0 ptssince 2020

from 30.9% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

1.3%

Unchangedsince 2020

from 1.3% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

47.6%

−5.8 ptssince 2020

from 53.4% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

46.1%

+5.4 ptssince 2020

from 40.7% 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)20.8%(364)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)24.2%(423)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era34.4%(601)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War0.8%(14)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II2.6%(45)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,749 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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