Hidalgo County, New Mexico Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Hidalgo County is located in New Mexico with a total population of 4,097. It is the 29th most populous county out of 33 in New Mexico. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Hidalgo County is 42.3 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 39.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Hidalgo County is $49,076. This is 21% lower than the state median of $62,125. It is also 38% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 20.5%. This is 13% higher than the state poverty rate of 18.1%. 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 4.1%. This is 31% lower than the state rate of 6.0%. The median home value is $114,000. Housing costs are 51% lower than the state median of $232,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Hidalgo County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 75.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 69.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Hidalgo County is Hispanic or Latino, making up 57.2% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 38.3%.

Education

17.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 41% lower than the state rate of 30.2%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 84.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Hidalgo County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against New Mexico and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.