Otero County, New Mexico Demographics 2026

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

Otero County, New Mexico has a population of 68,816, the 9th most populous county in New Mexico. The median household income is $55,876 and the median home value is $162,700. The poverty rate is 19.3%.

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

Otero County Quick Facts

Population 68,816

Median Household Income $55,876

Median Home Value $162,700

Poverty Rate 19.3%

Unemployment Rate 8.6%

Median Age 36.4 years

Homeownership Rate 67.0%

Affordability Ratio 2.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 22.7%

High School Graduation 87.8%

Cities/Places 14

Population 68,816 9th of 33

Median Income $55,876 13% lower than state

Poverty Rate 19.3%

Unemployment 8.6%

How Otero County 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	68,235	68,816	+0.9%
Median household income	$52,717	$55,876	+6.0%
Median home value	$149,500	$162,700	+8.8%

Median Household Income

Otero

$55,876

$64,059

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Otero

$162,700

$248,100

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.2%

$25K-$50K 25.1%

$50K-$100K 29.6%

$100K+ 26.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.3%

$10K-$15K

4.7%

$15K-$20K

4.8%

$20K-$25K

4.3%

$25K-$30K

4.3%

$30K-$35K

4.9%

$35K-$40K

4.5%

$40K-$45K

6.1%

$45K-$50K

5.3%

$50K-$60K

9.3%

$60K-$75K

8.4%

$75K-$100K

11.9%

$100K-$125K

9.3%

$125K-$150K

6.1%

$150K-$200K

6.7%

$200K+

4.0%

Employment

8.6% Unemployment Rate State: 6.0%|National: 5.2%

56.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 67.0%

Renter 33.0%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $962/mo 20.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.9%

18-34

26.6%

35-54

22.3%

55-74

22.0%

75+

7.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 63 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places 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
Mescalero	832	$24,313	42.7%	$43,300
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
Mayhill	38	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Bent	10	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Orogrande	9	N/A	0.0%	N/A

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

Population Overview

Otero County is located in New Mexico with a total population of 68,816. It is the 9th most populous county out of 33 in New Mexico. The county encompasses 14 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Otero County is 36.4 years. This is 8% lower than the state median of 39.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Otero County is $55,876. This is 13% lower than the state median of $64,059. It is also 31% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 19.3%. This is 8% higher than the state poverty rate of 17.8%. The unemployment rate is 8.6%. This is 44% higher than the state rate of 6.0%. The median home value is $162,700. Housing costs are 34% lower than the state median of $248,100. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Otero County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 67.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% lower than the state average of 70.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Otero County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 45.5% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 39.6%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (3.5% vs 1.8%).

Education

22.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 27% 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 87.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Otero 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Otero County, New Mexico?

Otero County has a population of 68,816, making it the 9th most populous county in New Mexico.

What is the median income in Otero County?

The median household income in Otero County is $55,876 with a poverty rate of 19.3%.

How many cities are in Otero County, New Mexico?

Otero County contains 14 Census-designated places.