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COUNTY

San Miguel County

New Mexico · 26,260 residents (2025 est.) · 4,722 sq mi
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The short version

San Miguel County is home to 26,850 people in New Mexico. At a median age of 47.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. There are 6 people per square mile. 24.4% of people here live below the federal poverty line. The foreign-born share is 2%. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $188,500.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 26%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
26,850
−11%since 2000
from 30,126 in 2000
26,260 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
6 / sq mi
−6%since 2009
from 6 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
47.2
+34%since 2000
from 35.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
4,722 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
25K27K28K29K31K19902000201020202024San Miguel County
202427K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.3%(1,142)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.5%(1,219)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.2%(1,400)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196%(1,610)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.5%(1,488)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.9%(2,928)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.3%(3,023)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.6%(3,125)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6415.1%(4,047)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7414.9%(4,007)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847.8%(2,083)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.9%(778)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$49,431
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,524 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$29,632
+123%since 2000
from $13,268 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
33.2%
+18.1 ptssince 2009
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
24.4%
Unchangedsince 2000
from 24.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.472
Unchangedsince 2010
from 0.473 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information9.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade2.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.9%
US avg: 1.6%
Public administration1.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Construction1.8%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services1.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing0.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$188,500
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $82,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$823
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $430 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
73.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2000
from 73.1% in 2000
26.9% rent
Vacancy rate
19.7%
−5.6 ptssince 2009
from 25.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.16 people
−11%since 2009
from 2.44 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
19.7%
−7.5 ptssince 2009
from 27.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
48.4%
+4.1 ptssince 2009
from 44.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.8
+12%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
40
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic18.9%(5,690)
Black0.6%(185)
Hispanic / Latino78%(23,487)
Asian0.4%(130)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic17.6%(4,713)
Black1.3%(344)
Hispanic / Latino75.2%(20,192)
Asian0.4%(97)
Other5.6%(1,504)
Diversity Score
50
+10%since 2009
from 46 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
14
−22%since 2020
from 18 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
Mexican29.7%(7,985)
Spaniard9.1%(2,436)
Puerto Rican0.7%(182)
Guatemalan0.5%(134)
Cuban0.2%(48)
Chilean0.1%(17)
Salvadoran0.1%(14)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Asian origin
Japanese0.2%(43)
Thai0.1%(20)
Chinese0.1%(16)
Kazakh0%(8)
Ancestry
German5.7%(1,532)
American5.6%(1,507)
English3.9%(1,052)
Irish2.8%(762)
Italian1.5%(393)
French1%(275)
Scottish0.7%(182)
Dutch0.5%(138)
Welsh0.5%(137)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(114)
Polish0.4%(112)
Norwegian0.3%(70)
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.2%(58)
British0.2%(56)
West Indian0.1%(36)
Jamaican0.1%(36)
Russian0.1%(35)
Arab0.1%(26)
Swiss0.1%(22)
Finnish0.1%(16)
Lebanese0.1%(14)
Austrian0%(12)
Belgian0%(9)
Serbian0%(7)
Slovene0%(7)
Israeli0%(1)
Kenyan0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
26.5%
+5.3 ptssince 2000
from 21.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
86.5%
+12.0 ptssince 2000
from 74.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.1%
+2.1 ptssince 2000
from 9.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.7 min
+23%since 2000
from 18.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
73.9%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 75.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.8%
−4.9 ptssince 2009
from 14.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
11.2%
+7.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.2%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
8.7%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.8%
−5.5 ptssince 2011
from 10.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
50.6%
−1.5 ptssince 2011
from 52.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
65.0%
+2.7 ptssince 2020
from 62.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
29.0%
+4.2 ptssince 2009
from 24.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
37.1%
+4.4 ptssince 2009
from 32.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.7%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.0% in 2009
Female
51.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.0% in 2009
Foreign born
2.4%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.5%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
23.5%
+1.5 ptssince 2012
from 22.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.1%
−10.1 ptssince 2013
from 17.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
78.6%
+31.5 ptssince 2017
from 47.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
88.2%
+12.5 ptssince 2020
from 75.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.7%
+3.4 ptssince 2020
from 86.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
53.9%
+11.6 ptssince 2016
from 42.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
44.6%
−10.4 ptssince 2016
from 54.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married43.2%(4,876)
Married40.7%(4,592)
Widowed4.8%(539)
Divorced11.3%(1,271)
Women 15+
Never married34%(4,018)
Married40.7%(4,806)
Widowed10.6%(1,249)
Divorced14.7%(1,738)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
7.1%
−10.1 ptssince 2013
from 17.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
37.8%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 36.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.1%
−2.0 ptssince 2020
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
30.4%
+4.6 ptssince 2020
from 25.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
40.3%
−3.4 ptssince 2020
from 43.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
4.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 3.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
48.2%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 48.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
63.8%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 63.9% 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)18%(301)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)23.5%(393)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38.9%(650)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War9.1%(152)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,670 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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Pop 25,300
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Pop 24,376
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Pop 29,097
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Pop 26,225
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Head to head

Compare San Miguel County to nearby counties

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY VS
Mora County
Income$53,663+9%
Home value$122,600−35%
Population4,051−85%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN MIGUEL COUNTY VS
Guadalupe County
Income$42,750−14%
Home value$110,000−42%
Population4,343−83%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN MIGUEL COUNTY VS
Harding County
Income$48,553−2%
Home value$70,000−63%
Population617−98%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN MIGUEL COUNTY VS
Santa Fe County
Income$79,071+60%
Home value$446,300+137%
Population156,907+498%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in San Miguel County, New Mexico?

San Miguel County, New Mexico has about 26,850 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in San Miguel County, New Mexico earns about $49,431 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is San Miguel County, New Mexico expensive?

In San Miguel County, New Mexico, the median home is worth about $188,500, and the typical rent is about $823 a month.

How educated are people in San Miguel County, New Mexico?

About 26.5% of adults age 25 and over in San Miguel County, New Mexico hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in San Miguel County, New Mexico?

About 24.4% of people in San Miguel County, New Mexico live below the federal poverty line.

Has San Miguel County, New Mexico grown since 1990?

Yes, San Miguel County, New Mexico has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,107 residents, a change of about 4 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 →