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METRO AREA · 2020 ACS

Las Cruces Metro

Las Cruces, NM · 1 counties · 219,561 residents · 3,808 sq mi
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The short version

Las Cruces is a metro area of 219,561 people. 24.8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. The population is up 26% since 2000. The typical home is worth $153,600, having more than doubled since 2000. The median household earns $44,024, about 34% below the national median. Median rent is $765 a month.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 36.0
US median: 38.8
Average education
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 38%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
219,561
+26%since 2000
from 174,682 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
58 / sq mi
+26%since 2000
from 46 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
36.0
+19%since 2000
from 30.2 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
3,808 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
127K153K180K207K233K19902000201020202024Las Cruces
2024224K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.8%(12,667)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.5%(14,316)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 147.2%(15,768)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 197.6%(16,735)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248.3%(18,261)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.2%(29,036)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.3%(24,891)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410.5%(23,087)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6412.2%(26,856)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410.2%(22,478)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.2%(11,392)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.9%(4,074)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$44,024
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,808 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$22,772
+63%since 2000
from $13,999 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
27.3%
+7.8 ptssince 2009
from 19.5% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
24.8%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 25.4% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information10.3%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade7.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5.2%
US avg: 5.5%
Other services4.3%
US avg: 6.6%
Retail trade4.1%
US avg: 10%
Professional, scientific, technical3.9%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.2%
US avg: 1.7%
Public administration2.8%
US avg: 4.7%
Construction2.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services1.3%
US avg: 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 2%
Manufacturing0.7%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$153,600
+38%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $74,000 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$765
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $445 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
64.7%
−2.8 ptssince 2000
from 67.5% in 2000
35.3% rent
Persons per household
2.67 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.76 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
3.5
−3%since 2009
from 3.6 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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic32.5%(56,688)
Black1.3%(2,261)
Hispanic / Latino63.4%(110,665)
Asian0.7%(1,241)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic27.2%(59,749)
Black1.4%(3,172)
Hispanic / Latino67.3%(147,672)
Asian1.1%(2,458)
Other1.9%(4,223)
Segregation Score
37
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
Mexican61.7%(134,251)
Spaniard1.7%(3,789)
Puerto Rican0.3%(749)
Cuban0.2%(454)
Guatemalan0.1%(280)
Panamanian0.1%(276)
Honduran0.1%(209)
Venezuelan0%(105)
Colombian0%(87)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Filipino0.4%(905)
Asian Indian0.2%(425)
Chinese0.2%(419)
Korean0.1%(234)
Vietnamese0.1%(157)
Japanese0.1%(153)
Nepalese0%(50)
Thai0%(27)
Malaysian0%(18)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(63)
Samoan0%(3)
Ancestry
German6.3%(13,659)
English5%(10,920)
Irish4.3%(9,323)
American2.5%(5,511)
Italian1.7%(3,752)
French1.2%(2,545)
Scottish1.1%(2,367)
Dutch0.8%(1,681)
Polish0.7%(1,573)
Swedish0.6%(1,379)
Norwegian0.6%(1,224)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(1,109)
+ 36 more ancestry groups with data
Arab0.4%(858)
British0.4%(827)
Russian0.3%(549)
Welsh0.2%(507)
Greek0.2%(406)
Nigerian0.2%(385)
Czech0.2%(355)
Danish0.2%(337)
Austrian0.1%(314)
Hungarian0.1%(303)
Lebanese0.1%(215)
Syrian0.1%(197)
Slovak0.1%(189)
Ukrainian0.1%(175)
Armenian0.1%(158)
West Indian0.1%(139)
Iranian0.1%(132)
Jamaican0.1%(130)
Romanian0.1%(118)
Belgian0%(102)
Swiss0%(96)
Croatian0%(94)
Finnish0%(91)
Canadian0%(87)
Moroccan0%(40)
Serbian0%(38)
Latvian0%(29)
Bulgarian0%(13)
Turkish0%(10)
Israeli0%(6)
Kenyan0%(3)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
29.5%
+7.2 ptssince 2000
from 22.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
80.6%
+10.5 ptssince 2000
from 70.0% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
12.2%
+3.0 ptssince 2000
from 9.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.5 min
+55%since 2000
from 14.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
79.2%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 77.2% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
6.2%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.7%
−3.0 ptssince 2011
from 10.7% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
56.7%
−4.8 ptssince 2011
from 61.4% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
66.9%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
35.2%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 32.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.6% in 2009
Female
50.9%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.4% in 2009
Foreign born
16.5%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
10.6%
−10.4 ptssince 2013
from 21.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
89.3%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
86.0%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married43.8%(39,000)
Married44.2%(39,386)
Widowed2.8%(2,481)
Divorced9.2%(8,149)
Women 15+
Never married38.7%(35,947)
Married41.5%(38,596)
Widowed7.2%(6,666)
Divorced12.6%(11,685)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.6%
−10.4 ptssince 2013
from 21.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
38.2%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
10.8%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
18.0%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
38.3%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.5%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
48.6%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
52.4%
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)28.5%(3,915)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)20.6%(2,823)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era33.7%(4,633)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War8.2%(1,128)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II1.3%(181)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 13,737 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
In this metro

Largest cities

Las CrucesCENTRAL116,978Sunland Park18,268Chaparral18,186Anthony8,900Santa Teresa6,041Vado2,895University Park2,782San Ysidro2,118Picacho Hills2,002Radium Springs1,908Mesilla1,818White Sands1,609Hatch1,584Berino1,454Butterfield Park1,119La Union1,071Salem916Doña Ana868San Miguel772San Pablo696Mesquite675Fairacres616Chamberino580Placitas CDP (Doña Ana County)516La Mesa473Tortugas381Rincon271Organ152Garfield85Rodey0
What's inside

1 component county

Doña Ana CountyCENTRAL229,091
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Las Cruces

Lake Havasu City
Pop 228,102
Fort Smith
Pop 234,140
Johnson City
Pop 216,416
Macon-Bibb County
Pop 238,553
Places similar to Las Cruces
Head to head

Compare Las Cruces side by side

LAS CRUCES VS
Lake Havasu City
Income$57,684+31%
Home value$281,000+83%
Population228,102same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAS CRUCES VS
Fort Smith
Income$58,315+32%
Home value$171,575+12%
Population234,140+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAS CRUCES VS
Johnson City
Income$58,506+33%
Home value$222,250+45%
Population216,416−6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAS CRUCES VS
Macon-Bibb County
Income$59,225+35%
Home value$186,510+21%
Population238,553+4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Las Cruces, NM?

Las Cruces, NM has about 219,561 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Las Cruces, NM?

The typical household in Las Cruces, NM earns about $44,024 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Las Cruces, NM expensive?

In Las Cruces, NM, the median home is worth about $153,600, and the typical rent is about $765 a month.

How educated are people in Las Cruces, NM?

About 29.5% of adults age 25 and over in Las Cruces, NM hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Las Cruces, NM?

About 24.8% of people in Las Cruces, NM live below the federal poverty line.

Has Las Cruces, NM grown since 1990?

Yes, Las Cruces, NM has grown since 1990. The population has added about 84,051 residents, a change of about 62 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →