With 68,816 people, Otero County is a county in New Mexico. 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Density works out to 10 people per square mile. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $162,700. The poverty rate is 19.3%, above the 12.5% national rate. The median household earns $55,876, about 32% below the national median.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $55,876, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Otero County
What changed most since 1990
Median home value (2024 dollars)$138,004 → $162,700(+18%)US over the same years: +67%
Adults with a bachelor's degree15.0% → 22.7%(+7.8 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Hispanic share23.5% → 39.6%(+16.1 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
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)37.9%(2,725)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)30%(2,158)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era32.1%(2,304)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.9%(424)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.8%(55)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 7,184 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
Otero County, decade by decade
Otero County 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
51,928
$54,299
$138,004
15.0%
65.9
2000
62,298
$56,218
$125,148
15.4%
72.4
2010
63,797
$56,989
$150,331
17.7%
74.3
2020
67,839
$54,581
$146,414
18.9%
79.2
2024
68,816
$55,876
$162,700
22.7%
78.1
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.
