Lea County, NM

County

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2021 Population

72,743

3.39% 1-year growth

US Senator

Martin Heinrich

Democratic Party

US Senator

Ben Ray Luján

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

31.9

0.313% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

16.8%

3.12% 1-year increase

2021 Median Household Income

$62,319

0.731% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$144,400

4.18% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

29,927

2.35% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Lea County, NM had a population of 72.7k people with a median age of 31.9 and a median household income of $62,319. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Lea County, NM grew from 70,359 to 72,743, a 3.39% increase and its median household income grew from $61,867 to $62,319, a 0.731% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Lea County, NM are White (Hispanic) (38.2%), White (Non-Hispanic) (33.3%), Two+ (Hispanic) (15%), Other (Hispanic) (6.4%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (3.46%).

None of the households in Lea County, NM reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

86.8% of the residents in Lea County, NM are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Lea County, NM are University of the Southwest (325 degrees awarded in 2021) and New Mexico Junior College (314 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Lea County, NM was $144,400, and the homeownership rate was 68.4%.

Most people in Lea County, NM drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Lea County, NM was 2 cars per household.

Lea County, NM borders Chaves County, NM, Eddy County, NM, Roosevelt County, NM, Andrews County, TX, Cochran County, TX, Gaines County, TX, Loving County, TX, Winkler County, TX, and Yoakum County, TX.

United States New Mexico Hobbs, NM

Population & Diversity

Lea County, NM is home to a population of 72.7k people, from which 86.8% are citizens. As of 2021, 17.5% of Lea County, NM residents were born outside of the country (12.7k people).

In 2021, there were 1.15 times more White (Hispanic) residents (27.8k people) in Lea County, NM than any other race or ethnicity. There were 24.2k White (Non-Hispanic) and 10.9k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

86.8%

2021 Citizenship

87.8%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 86.8% of Lea County, NM residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Lea County, NM was 87.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Lea County, NM compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Lea County, NM

White (Hispanic)
27.8k ± 1.53k
White (Non-Hispanic)
24.2k ± 218
Two+ (Hispanic)
10.9k ± 1.48k

60.7%

Hispanic Population

44.2k people

60.7% of the people in Lea County, NM are hispanic (44.2k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Lea County, NM as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for New Mexico.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
129,550 ± 8,561 people
Philippines
5,729 ± 1,856 people
Germany
4,401 ± 1,627 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of New Mexico was Mexico, the natal country of 129,550 New Mexico residents, followed by Philippines with 5,729 and Germany with 4,401.

Foreign-Born Population

17.5%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

12.7k people

17.1%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

12k people

As of 2021, 17.5% of Lea County, NM residents (12.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Lea County, NM was 17.1%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Lea County, NM compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
648 ± 165
Gulf War (1990s)
397 ± 141
Gulf War (2001-)
349 ± 156

Lea County, NM has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.63 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Lea County, NM employs 29.9k people. The largest industries in Lea County, NM are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction (4,789 people), Retail Trade (3,303 people), and Construction (2,909 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($94,098), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($70,462), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($64,702).

Males in New Mexico have an average income that is 1.28 times higher than the average income of females, which is $49,045. The income inequality in New Mexico (measured using the Gini index) is 0.46, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

29.9k

2021 Value

± 1,633

2.35%

1 Year growth

± 7.34%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Lea County, NM grew at a rate of 2.35%, from 29.2k employees to 29.9k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lea County, NM, are Construction & Extraction Occupations (3,754 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,160 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (2,938 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Lea County, NM.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in New Mexico (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

29.9k

2021 Value

± 1,633

2.35%

1 Year growth

± 7.34%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Lea County, NM grew at a rate of 2.35%, from 29.2k employees to 29.9k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lea County, NM, are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction (4,789 people), Retail Trade (3,303 people), and Construction (2,909 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Lea County, NM, though some of these residents may live in Lea County, NM and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$56,493

Median earning men ± $2,156

$28,746

Median earning women ± $1,623

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($71,602), Manufacturing ($64,904), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($64,213).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Wholesale Trade ($51,797), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($51,435), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($39,658).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in New Mexico. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in New Mexico.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

401
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
360
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
278
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$262k
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, and Mining
$188k
Manufacturing
$188k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from New Mexico to other states, or from other states to New Mexico.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound New Mexico product (by dollars) was Electronics with $16.8B, followed by Coal-n.e.c. ($13.8B) and Crude petroleum ($12.8B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound New Mexico products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for New Mexico.

$79.7B

2020 Value in New Mexico

$117B

Projected 2050 Value in New Mexico

46.3% growth

In 2020, total outbound New Mexico trade was $79.7B. This is expected to increase 46.3% to $117B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound New Mexico trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from New Mexico to other states, or from other states to New Mexico.

Most Common Trade Partners

Texas
$22.3B
Arizona
$6.67B
Louisiana
$4.69B

In 2020, the top outbound New Mexico domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $22.3B, followed by Arizona with $6.67B and Louisiana and $4.69B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that New Mexico shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Lea County, NM went to Donald J. Trump with 79% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (19.4%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.02%).

Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján are the senators currently representing the state of New Mexico. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

New Mexico is currently represented by 3 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (79%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (19.4%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.02%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Lea County, NM went to Donald J. Trump with 79% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (19.4%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.02%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Lea County, NM for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from New Mexico

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for New Mexico.

Martin Heinrich

Senator from New Mexico

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

Ben Ray Luján

Senator from New Mexico

Assumed office on January 3, 2021

Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján are the senators currently representing New Mexico.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in New Mexico over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from New Mexico

New Mexico is currently represented by 3 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for New Mexico have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Lea County, NM awarded 639 degrees. The student population of Lea County, NM in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 1,061 male students and 1,892 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Lea County, NM are White (247 and 38.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (243 and 38%), Black or African American (73 and 11.4%), and Unknown (44 and 6.89%).

The largest universities in Lea County, NM by number of degrees awarded are University of the Southwest (325 and 50.9%) and New Mexico Junior College (314 and 49.1%).

The most popular majors in Lea County, NM are General Studies (176 and 27.5%), School Counseling & Guidance Services (77 and 12.1%), and Criminal Justice - Police Science (37 and 5.79%).

The median tuition cost in Lea County, NM for private four year colleges is $16,000.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

Measure

In 2019 in Lea County, NM, the percentage of applicants admitted was 45.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 69.5%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 2,953 (35.9% men and 64.1% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2021 there were 2,953 students enrolled in Lea County, NM, 35.9% men and 64.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 1,397 records, of which 65.6% were women and 34.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Studies
175 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
27 degree-majors awarded
Automobile Mechanics Technology
14 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Lea County, NM was General Studies with 175 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Lea County, NM according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of the Southwest
325 degrees awarded
New Mexico Junior College
314 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of the Southwest with 325 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2021, 211 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Lea County, NM, which is 0.493 times less than the 428 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 247 degrees mean that there were 1.02 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 243 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($16,000) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($480) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,680) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Mexico.

Measure

In 2021, 0.978% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.849% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Mexico.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (447k), Some college (401k), and Secondary Education (262k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Lea County, NM was $144,400 in 2021, which is 0.59 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $138,600 to $144,400, a 4.18% increase. The homeownership rate in Lea County, NM is 68.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Lea County, NM have an average commute time of 23.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Lea County, NM is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Lea County, NM is $62,319. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Lea County, NM was Census Tract 5.04 with a value of $102,917, followed by Census Tract 7.03 and Census Tract 5.03, with respective values of $93,950 and $73,977.

In 2022, 14.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lea County, NM. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.575%.

Housing

Property

$144,400

Median Property Value 2021

±$7,057

$16,321

Median Property Taxes

±$982

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Lea County, NM the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Lea County, NM compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

68.4%

Homeownership

2021

66.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 68.4% of the housing units in Lea County, NM were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 68%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Lea County, NM compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 5.04
Census Tract 7.03
Census Tract 5.03

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Lea County, NM was Census Tract 5.04 with a value of $102,917, followed by Census Tract 7.03 and Census Tract 5.03, with respective values of $93,950 and $73,977.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Lea County, NM colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$62,319

Median Household Income

± $3,771

23.9k

Number of Households

± 1,267

In 2021, the median household income of the 23.9k households in Lea County, NM grew to $62,319 from the previous year's value of $61,867.

The following chart displays the households in Lea County, NM distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Lea County, NM is from New Mexico.

0.46

2021 Wage GINI in New Mexico

0.461

2020 Wage GINI in New Mexico

In 2021, the income inequality in New Mexico was 0.46 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.346% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for New Mexico was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in New Mexico in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in New Mexico across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (81%)
Carpooled (13.8%)
Worked At Home (3.01%)

In 2021, 81% of workers in Lea County, NM drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (13.8%) and those who worked at home (3.01%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Lea County, NM have a shorter commute time (23.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 8.53% of the workforce in Lea County, NM have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Lea County, NM compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Lea County, NM distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Lea County, NM have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 14.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lea County, NM. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.575%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

16.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lea County, NM (11.7k out of 70.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Males < 5.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Lea County, NM is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 14.2% of the children was living in poverty in Lea County, NM. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 7%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 439 in Lea County, NM. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 31.8 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

86.2% of the population of Lea County, NM has health coverage, with 41.2% on employee plans, 29.6% on Medicaid, 7.84% on Medicare, 6.93% on non-group plans, and 0.527% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Lea County, NM see 3554 patients per year on average, which represents a 12.3% increase from the previous year (3164 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2565 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 816 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.5% were men and 50.5% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

3,554 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Lea County, NM

Primary care physicians in Lea County, NM see an average of 3,554 patients per year. This represents a 12.3% increase from the previous year (3,164 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Lea County, NM in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 32.8% under 18 years, 22.1% between 18 and 34 years, 34.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 11% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.5% were men and 50.5% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

13.8%

Uninsured

41.2%

Employer Coverage

29.6%

Medicaid

7.84%

Medicare

6.93%

Non-Group

0.527%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lea County, NM grew by 5.77% from 13.1% to 13.8%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Lea County, NM changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 55.8 in Lea County, NM.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lea County, NM.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 36.3% in Lea County, NM.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lea County, NM.

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