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COUNTY

Otero County

New Mexico · 70,368 residents (2025 est.) · 6,612.562 sq mi
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The short version

Otero County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $55,876. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 23% 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 $162,700.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 30%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
68,816
+10%since 2000
from 62,298 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
10 / sq mi
+9%since 2009
from 10 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
36.4
+8%since 2000
from 33.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:70,368 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
50K55K60K65K71K1990201020202024Otero County
202469K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.7%(3,942)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96%(4,151)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.3%(4,359)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.5%(4,443)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248.8%(6,082)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3415.1%(10,363)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.3%(8,472)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410%(6,888)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.7%(8,039)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.3%(7,116)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.2%(3,588)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2%(1,373)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$55,876
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,861 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$29,760
+107%since 2000
from $14,345 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
38.1%
+22.1 ptssince 2009
from 16.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
19.3%
Unchangedsince 2000
from 19.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.430
+3%since 2010
from 0.418 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade11%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services5.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Public administration4%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical3.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3%
US avg: 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Retail trade1.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Construction1.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing1.4%
US avg: 0.4%
Transportation & warehousing1.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.2%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$162,700
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $68,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$962
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $441 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
67.0%
+0.1 ptssince 2000
from 66.9% in 2000
33.0% rent
Vacancy rate
25.0%
+4.7 ptssince 2009
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
16.1%
−6.6 ptssince 2009
from 22.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
41.7%
+5.9 ptssince 2009
from 35.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.9
+14%since 2009
from 2.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
30
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Otero County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic55.7%(34,728)
Black3.7%(2,285)
Hispanic / Latino32.2%(20,033)
Asian1.1%(685)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic45.5%(31,299)
Black3.5%(2,419)
Hispanic / Latino39.6%(27,267)
Asian1.5%(1,005)
Other9.9%(6,826)
Diversity Score
78
+5%since 2009
from 75 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
39
Unchangedsince 2020
from 39 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
Mexican30.5%(20,984)
Spaniard3.4%(2,366)
Dominican0.5%(353)
Puerto Rican0.5%(322)
Cuban0.3%(207)
Venezuelan0.1%(90)
Colombian0.1%(81)
Salvadoran0.1%(73)
Peruvian0%(22)
Honduran0%(21)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Filipino0.8%(573)
Chinese0.2%(113)
Korean0.2%(105)
Japanese0.1%(43)
Thai0.1%(40)
Vietnamese0.1%(40)
Hmong0.1%(38)
Nepalese0%(13)
Taiwanese0%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Fijian0.1%(39)
Chamorro0%(33)
Samoan0%(8)
Ancestry
English11.6%(7,950)
German9.4%(6,449)
Irish8.6%(5,928)
American3.5%(2,423)
Scottish2.6%(1,812)
Italian2.2%(1,544)
French1.2%(839)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(583)
Norwegian0.7%(494)
Dutch0.6%(447)
Polish0.6%(416)
Swedish0.6%(397)
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.4%(306)
Arab0.4%(254)
Lebanese0.3%(228)
Finnish0.3%(211)
Austrian0.3%(208)
Hungarian0.2%(164)
British0.2%(160)
Czech0.2%(143)
Russian0.2%(140)
Portuguese0.2%(117)
Ukrainian0.1%(98)
Swiss0.1%(94)
Danish0.1%(65)
Slovak0.1%(53)
Turkish0.1%(49)
Canadian0.1%(38)
Belgian0.1%(37)
Ghanaian0%(31)
Nigerian0%(26)
Slovene0%(21)
Croatian0%(19)
Brazilian0%(17)
Syrian0%(13)
Greek0%(11)
Romanian0%(11)
Iraqi0%(8)
Haitian0%(5)
Latvian0%(4)
Kenyan0%(1)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
22.7%
+7.3 ptssince 2000
from 15.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
87.8%
+6.8 ptssince 2000
from 81.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
7.6%
+1.4 ptssince 2000
from 6.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.1 min
+53%since 2000
from 14.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
78.2%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 79.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
11.2%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
6.7%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.8%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.0%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
8.6%
−1.8 ptssince 2011
from 10.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
56.0%
−1.7 ptssince 2011
from 57.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
14.5%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
34.0%
−24.3 ptssince 2009
from 58.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
52.7%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
Female
47.3%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
Foreign born
9.7%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
14.6%
−33.2 ptssince 2009
from 47.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
19.9%
+2.9 ptssince 2012
from 17.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.1%
−70.4 ptssince 2013
from 80.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.0%
+17.1 ptssince 2017
from 72.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
75.2%
+2.6 ptssince 2016
from 72.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
20.9%
−0.5 ptssince 2016
from 21.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married41.4%(12,329)
Married43%(12,827)
Widowed2.5%(754)
Divorced13.1%(3,901)
Women 15+
Never married30.2%(8,009)
Married46.7%(12,393)
Widowed8.6%(2,289)
Divorced14.5%(3,862)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Pop 71,259
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Pop 72,844
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Pop 65,140
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Head to head

Compare Otero County to nearby counties

OTERO COUNTY VS
El Paso County
Income$59,806+7%
Home value$180,400+11%
Population877,858+1148%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
OTERO COUNTY VS
Doña Ana County
Income$56,848+2%
Home value$220,800+36%
Population229,091+226%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
OTERO COUNTY VS
Lincoln County
Income$53,303−5%
Home value$233,200+43%
Population19,844−72%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
OTERO COUNTY VS
Hudspeth County
Income$48,600−13%
Home value$64,000−61%
Population3,433−95%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Otero County, New Mexico?

Otero County, New Mexico has about 68,816 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Otero County, New Mexico earns about $55,876 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Otero County, New Mexico expensive?

In Otero County, New Mexico, the median home is worth about $162,700, and the typical rent is about $962 a month.

How educated are people in Otero County, New Mexico?

About 22.7% of adults age 25 and over in Otero County, New Mexico hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 19.3% of people in Otero County, New Mexico live below the federal poverty line.

Has Otero County, New Mexico grown since 1990?

Yes, Otero County, New Mexico has grown since 1990. The population has added about 16,888 residents, a change of about 33 percent over that period.

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21 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 9.03Census Tract 9.04Census Tract 4.01Census Tract 4.04Census Tract 6.04Census Tract 3.04Census Tract 9.01Census Tract 3.05Census Tract 9400Census Tract 7.01Census Tract 4.03Census Tract 3.06Census Tract 5.01Census Tract 3.03Census Tract 6.02Census Tract 6.03Census Tract 2Census Tract 1Census Tract 5.02Census Tract 7.02
17 ZIP codes
ZIP 88310ZIP 88081ZIP 88330ZIP 88352ZIP 88340ZIP 88317ZIP 88337ZIP 88325ZIP 88311ZIP 88350ZIP 88347ZIP 79837ZIP 88344ZIP 88354ZIP 88314ZIP 88342ZIP 88349
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →