North Light Plant, New Mexico Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 579, North Light Plant'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

North Light Plant is a small community located in New Mexico, within San Juan County. The total population is 579. It ranks as the 225th most populous out of 495 Census-designated places in New Mexico.

Age Demographics

The median age in North Light Plant is 27.3 years. This is 31% lower than the state median of 39.4 years. With 41.3% of the population under 18, North Light Plant has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The poverty rate stands at 61.8%. This is 247% 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 North Light Plant, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $202,700. Housing costs are 18% lower than the state median of $248,100. 65.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% lower than the state average of 70.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

North Light Plant is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 11.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (11.6%) is well below the state average of 36.0%.

Education

0.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for North Light Plant, 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.