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COUNTY

Rio Arriba County

New Mexico · 39,832 residents (2025 est.) · 5,861 sq mi
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The short version

Rio Arriba County is a county of 40,070 people in New Mexico. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Density works out to 7 people per square mile. 80% of homes are owner-occupied. Renters pay $740 a month at the median. At a median age of 42.0, this is an older place than the country as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
19% 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
40,070
−3%since 2000
from 41,190 in 2000
39,832 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
7 / sq mi
−1%since 2009
from 7 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
42.0
+22%since 2000
from 34.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
5,861 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
34K36K38K40K42K19902000201020202024Rio Arriba County
202440K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.2%(2,089)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96%(2,417)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.4%(2,966)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.4%(2,571)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.6%(2,230)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411%(4,407)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.5%(4,603)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.3%(4,545)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.7%(5,500)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412.9%(5,185)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847.1%(2,845)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(712)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$57,155
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,429 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,887
+124%since 2000
from $14,263 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
37.1%
+14.3 ptssince 2009
from 22.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
18.2%
−2.1 ptssince 2000
from 20.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.456
+6%since 2010
from 0.429 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information9.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade8.7%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance3%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services2.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.9%
US avg: 1.6%
Professional, scientific, technical1.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Construction1.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration1.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Retail trade1.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Education & health services1.1%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.6%
US avg: 0.4%
Transportation & warehousing0.4%
US avg: 2.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$243,700
+51%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $88,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$740
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $394 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
80.0%
−1.6 ptssince 2000
from 81.6% in 2000
20.0% rent
Vacancy rate
21.2%
−2.9 ptssince 2009
from 24.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.54 people
−11%since 2009
from 2.87 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
17.3%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 21.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
27.4%
−6.0 ptssince 2009
from 33.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.3
+26%since 2009
from 3.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
31
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic13.6%(5,619)
Black0.2%(85)
Hispanic / Latino72.9%(30,025)
Asian0.1%(47)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic14%(5,594)
Black0.6%(228)
Hispanic / Latino67.2%(26,916)
Asian0.6%(242)
Other17.7%(7,090)
Diversity Score
62
+13%since 2009
from 55 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
26
−13%since 2020
from 30 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
Mexican22.7%(9,111)
Spaniard12.2%(4,872)
Puerto Rican0.6%(256)
Guatemalan0.3%(128)
Ecuadorian0.3%(127)
Salvadoran0.1%(51)
Dominican0.1%(48)
Colombian0%(16)
Cuban0%(4)
Asian origin
Filipino0.6%(227)
Korean0%(11)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(3)
Ancestry
American4.6%(1,842)
German4.1%(1,641)
Irish3.8%(1,533)
English2.6%(1,056)
Scottish1%(388)
Italian0.9%(368)
French0.6%(237)
Russian0.4%(165)
Dutch0.4%(145)
Welsh0.3%(124)
Polish0.3%(117)
Norwegian0.3%(110)
+ 28 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.2%(67)
Swedish0.2%(61)
Portuguese0.1%(60)
Canadian0.1%(53)
Austrian0.1%(51)
West Indian0.1%(38)
Belgian0.1%(33)
Romanian0.1%(28)
Swiss0%(20)
Hungarian0%(18)
Nigerian0%(17)
Jamaican0%(15)
Haitian0%(13)
Slovak0%(11)
Barbadian0%(10)
Greek0%(9)
British0%(7)
Slovene0%(7)
Arab0%(6)
Czech0%(6)
Finnish0%(5)
Serbian0%(4)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
19.0%
+3.6 ptssince 2000
from 15.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
87.7%
+14.7 ptssince 2000
from 73.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.6%
+2.3 ptssince 2000
from 6.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
30.1 min
+35%since 2000
from 22.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
77.1%
+5.0 ptssince 2009
from 72.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.0%
−10.4 ptssince 2009
from 19.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.6%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
10.2%
+6.7 ptssince 2009
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.8%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.8%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.9%
−7.3 ptssince 2011
from 12.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
53.1%
−8.3 ptssince 2011
from 61.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
68.1%
+7.1 ptssince 2020
from 61.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
17.3%
−6.0 ptssince 2009
from 23.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
34.9%
+4.0 ptssince 2009
from 30.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.3% in 2009
Female
50.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.7% in 2009
Foreign born
6.3%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.6%
−5.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.8%
−3.0 ptssince 2012
from 18.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
8.7%
−12.2 ptssince 2013
from 20.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
75.3%
+26.2 ptssince 2017
from 49.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
82.0%
+9.4 ptssince 2020
from 72.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
95.6%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 94.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
48.6%
+10.0 ptssince 2016
from 38.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
44.4%
−6.8 ptssince 2016
from 51.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married41.8%(6,729)
Married42.2%(6,787)
Widowed3.8%(607)
Divorced12.2%(1,964)
Women 15+
Never married34.6%(5,720)
Married40.3%(6,654)
Widowed9.5%(1,567)
Divorced15.6%(2,570)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
8.7%
−12.2 ptssince 2013
from 20.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
47.0%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 43.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
7.9%
+3.6 ptssince 2020
from 4.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
24.2%
+2.4 ptssince 2020
from 21.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
32.3%
−3.4 ptssince 2020
from 35.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
53.5%
+5.2 ptssince 2020
from 48.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
52.2%
−1.4 ptssince 2020
from 53.6% 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)11%(191)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19.2%(334)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era51.5%(894)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.6%(28)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.6%(28)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,737 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
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Rio Arriba County to nearby counties

RIO ARRIBA COUNTY VS
Los Alamos County
Income$147,139+157%
Home value$495,800+103%
Population19,407−51%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RIO ARRIBA COUNTY VS
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Income$83,065+45%
Home value$478,100+96%
Population14,306−64%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RIO ARRIBA COUNTY VS
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Income$50,978−11%
Home value$193,400−21%
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RIO ARRIBA COUNTY VS
Sandoval County
Income$86,636+52%
Home value$313,800+29%
Population159,565+301%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico?

Rio Arriba County, New Mexico has about 40,070 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico earns about $57,155 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Rio Arriba County, New Mexico expensive?

In Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, the median home is worth about $243,700, and the typical rent is about $740 a month.

How educated are people in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico?

About 19.0% of adults age 25 and over in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico?

About 18.2% of people in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico live below the federal poverty line.

Has Rio Arriba County, New Mexico grown since 1990?

Yes, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico has grown since 1990. The population has added about 5,705 residents, a change of about 17 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →