Los Alamos County, New Mexico Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Los Alamos County is located in New Mexico with a total population of 19,435. It is the 20th most populous county out of 33 in New Mexico. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Los Alamos County is 39.3 years. This is about the same as the state median of 39.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Los Alamos County is $147,139. This is 130% higher than the state median of $64,059. It is also 82% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.5%. This is 80% lower than the state poverty rate of 17.8%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 0.6%. This is 90% lower than the state rate of 6.0%. The median home value is $495,800. Housing costs are 100% higher than the state median of $248,100. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.4x. 74.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 70.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Los Alamos County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 69.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 18.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (69.8% vs 36.0%). The Black or African American population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 1.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (18.0%) is well below the state average of 48.4%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (5.0% vs 1.6%).

Education

69.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Los Alamos County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 125% higher 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 98.3%. Notably, 44.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Los Alamos County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, 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.