Cloudcroft, New Mexico Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 630, Cloudcroft's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Cloudcroft is a small community located in New Mexico, within Otero County. The total population is 630. It ranks as the 211th most populous out of 495 Census-designated places in New Mexico.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cloudcroft is 61.1 years. This is 55% higher than the state median of 39.4 years. Only 6.7% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 16.4% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cloudcroft is $56,563. This is 12% lower than the state median of $64,059. It is also 30% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 24.6%. This is 38% higher than the state poverty rate of 17.8%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Cloudcroft, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $234,800. Housing costs are 5% lower than the state median of $248,100. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.2x. 84.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 20% higher than the state average of 70.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

Cloudcroft has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 98.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (98.3% vs 36.0%). The Hispanic or Latino population (1.6%) is well below the state average of 48.4%.

Education

43.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 41% higher than the state rate of 31.0%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Cloudcroft, New Mexico is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against New Mexico state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 495 Census-designated places in New Mexico. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.