United States › New Mexico › Otero County COUNTY · 2020 ACS
Otero County New Mexico · 67,839 residents · 6,613 sq mi
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The short version
Otero County is a county of 67,839 people in New Mexico. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $120,800. The median household earns $45,032, about 32% below the national median. The poverty rate is 19.1%, above the 12.8% national rate. Getting to work takes 21 minutes on average.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 37.0
US median: 38.8
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 33.8 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
50K 55K 60K 65K 71K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Otero County Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $45,032
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,861 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $14,345 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 16.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 19.3% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.1%
Public administration 2.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.1%
Transportation & warehousing 0.9%
Education & health services 0.8%
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$120,800
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $68,700 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$811
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $441 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 66.9% in 2000
32.6% rent
from 2.56 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 55.7%(34,728)
Hispanic / Latino 32.2%(20,033)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 45.6%(30,931)
Hispanic / Latino 38.6%(26,152)
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
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 31 more ancestry groups with data from 15.4% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 81.0% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 6.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 79.3% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.4% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 57.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 26.2% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 19.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 41.4%(12,329)
Women 15+
Never married 30.2%(8,009)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 19.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 34.4%(2,697)
Gulf War (1990s) 27.6%(2,166)
Share of the 7,835 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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Drill deeper
Places similar to Otero County Head to head
Compare Otero County to nearby counties OTERO COUNTY VS
El Paso County
Income $59,806 +33%
Home value $180,400 +49%
Population 877,858 +1148%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
OTERO COUNTY VS
Doña Ana County
Income $56,848 +26%
Home value $220,800 +83%
Population 229,091 +226%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
OTERO COUNTY VS
Lincoln County
Income $53,303 +18%
Home value $233,200 +93%
Population 19,844 −72%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
OTERO COUNTY VS
Hudspeth County
Income $48,600 +8%
Home value $64,000 −47%
Population 3,433 −95%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Otero County, New Mexico? Otero County, New Mexico has about 67,839 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Otero County, New Mexico? The typical household in Otero County, New Mexico earns about $45,032 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 $120,800, and the typical rent is about $811 a month.
How educated are people in Otero County, New Mexico? About 18.9% 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 19.1% 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 15,911 residents, a change of about 31 percent over that period.
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