Mescalero, New Mexico Demographics & Population 2026

Name: Mescalero, New Mexico Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, Mescalero, New Mexico had a total population of 832, the 181st largest community in New Mexico, with a median household income of $24,313, which is 62% lower than the state average. The poverty rate is 42.7%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Key Takeaways

Household income is 62% below the state average, indicating significant economic challenges.
More than 1 in 4 residents live below the poverty line (42.7%), well above the national average of 12.4%.
Only 7.7% of adults have a bachelor's degree, well below the national average of 35.7%.
Housing is very affordable with a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x.
Unemployment rate of 10.7% is notably above the national average.

Mescalero Quick Facts

Population 832

Median Household Income $24,313

Median Home Value $43,300

Poverty Rate 42.7%

Unemployment Rate 10.7%

Median Age 44.6 years

Homeownership Rate 72.2%

Affordability Ratio 1.8x

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 7.7%

High School Graduation Rate 74.0%

Diversity Index 27/100

Population 832 181st of 495

Median Income $24,313 bottom 10%

Poverty Rate 42.7% 243% higher than national

Median Home Value $43,300 bottom 10%

How Mescalero Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	814	832	+2.2%
Median household income	$28,167	$24,313	-13.7%
Median home value	$48,300	$43,300	-10.4%

How Mescalero Compares

Median Household Income

Mescalero

$24,313

$64,059

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Mescalero

$43,300

$248,100

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 53.3%

$25K-$50K 21.6%

$50K-$100K 15.4%

$100K+ 9.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

8.9%

$10K-$15K

22.8%

$15K-$20K

3.9%

$20K-$25K

17.8%

$25K-$30K

5.0%

$30K-$35K

12.4%

$35K-$40K

2.4%

$40K-$45K

1.8%

$45K-$50K

0.0%

$50K-$60K

3.3%

$60K-$75K

8.6%

$75K-$100K

3.5%

$100K-$125K

2.1%

$125K-$150K

0.0%

$150K-$200K

6.2%

$200K+

1.5%

Employment

10.7% Unemployment Rate State: 6.0%|National: 5.2%

51.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 72.2%

Renter 27.8%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $260/mo 12.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.1%

18-34

21.6%

35-54

24.9%

55-74

25.8%

75+

8.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 63 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Mescalero Rankings in New Mexico

#181 Population of 495

#335 Median Income of 346

#357 Education of 494

#325 Home Value of 336

Explore New Mexico Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Other Cities in Otero County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Alamogordo	31,307	$55,952	16.6%	$172,900
Holloman AFB	4,433	$52,465	10.2%	N/A
Tularosa	2,597	$52,375	15.4%	$150,600
Boles Acres	1,848	$52,788	16.2%	N/A
La Luz	1,797	$46,655	15.0%	$68,100
High Rolls	1,313	$86,375	0.8%	$257,600
Cloudcroft	630	$56,563	24.6%	$234,800
Timberon	479	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Twin Forks	310	$76,042	52.3%	$250,000
Sacramento	246	N/A	100.0%	N/A

Cities Similar to Mescalero

These cities in the same state have comparable population and economic profiles.

City	Population	Median Income	Home Value	Bachelor's+	Poverty
Cedar Crest	886	N/A	$248,400	47.2%	10.0%
Carrizozo	854	$27,344	$84,700	19.2%	24.9%
Twin Lakes	893	$25,938	$56,500	3.5%	50.2%
Fort Sumner	938	N/A	N/A	2.7%	17.3%
Hernandez	769	$26,923	$148,200	6.1%	28.1%

A note before these figures: with a population of 832, Mescalero'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

Mescalero is a small community located in New Mexico, within Otero County. The total population is 832. It ranks as the 181st most populous out of 495 Census-designated places in New Mexico.

Age Demographics

The median age in Mescalero is 44.6 years. This is 13% higher than the state median of 39.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Mescalero is $24,313. This is 62% lower than the state median of $64,059. It is also 70% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 42.7%. This is 139% 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 10.7%. This is 79% higher than the state rate of 6.0%. The median home value is $43,300. Housing costs are 83% lower than the state median of $248,100. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Mescalero is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the state average of 70.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

Mescalero is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 6.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (6.5%) is well below the state average of 36.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (6.5%) is well below the state average of 48.4%.

Education

7.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 75% 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 74.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Mescalero, 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.

Free data download: Get all New Mexico city and county demographics as CSV. Download Cities CSV | Download Counties CSV

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Mescalero, New Mexico?

Mescalero, New Mexico has a population of 832 according to the most recent U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median household income in Mescalero, NM?

The median household income in Mescalero is $24,313, which is 70% lower than the national median of $80,734.

What is the poverty rate in Mescalero, NM?

The poverty rate in Mescalero is 42.7%. This means approximately 328 residents live below the federal poverty line.

What is the racial makeup of Mescalero, New Mexico?

Mescalero's population is 6.5% White, 0.0% Black, 6.5% Hispanic/Latino, and 0.0% Asian.

What is the median home value in Mescalero, NM?

The median home value in Mescalero is $43,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 1.8x.

How educated is Mescalero, New Mexico?

7.7% of adults (25+) in Mescalero hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and 0.9% hold a graduate or professional degree.