Quay County, New Mexico Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Quay County is located in New Mexico with a total population of 8,616. It is the 26th most populous county out of 33 in New Mexico. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Quay County is 48.1 years. This is 23% higher than the state median of 39.2 years. 10.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Quay County is $43,698. This is 30% lower than the state median of $62,125. It is also 44% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 25.4%. This is 40% 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 4.5%. This is 24% lower than the state rate of 6.0%. The median home value is $82,200. Housing costs are 65% lower than the state median of $232,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, Quay County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 5% higher than the state average of 69.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Quay County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 48.3% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 44.6%.

Education

20.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 32% 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 87.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Quay 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.