Happy Valley, New Mexico Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 845, Happy Valley'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

Happy Valley is a small community located in New Mexico, within Eddy County. The total population is 845. It ranks as the 180th most populous out of 495 Census-designated places in New Mexico.

Age Demographics

The median age in Happy Valley is 52.1 years. This is 32% higher than the state median of 39.4 years. Only 9.0% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Happy Valley is $62,215. This is 3% lower than the state median of $64,059. It is also 23% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 28.8%. This is 61% 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 unemployment rate is 18.1%. This is 203% higher than the state rate of 6.0%. The median home value is $200,000. Housing costs are 19% lower than the state median of $248,100. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 73.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 5% higher than the state average of 70.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Happy Valley is White (non-Hispanic), making up 64.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 32.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (64.1% vs 36.0%).

Education

5.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 82% lower than the state rate of 31.0%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 71.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Happy Valley, 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.