Talpa, New Mexico Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 955, Talpa'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

Talpa is a small community located in New Mexico, within Taos County. The total population is 955. It ranks as the 167th most populous out of 495 Census-designated places in New Mexico.

Age Demographics

The median age in Talpa is 39.7 years. This is about the same as the state median of 39.4 years. With 31.7% of the population under 18, Talpa has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community. 17.3% 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 Talpa is $49,167. This is 23% lower than the state median of $64,059. It is also 39% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.2%. This is 26% lower than the state poverty rate of 17.8%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Talpa, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $387,300. Housing costs are 56% higher than the state median of $248,100. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.9x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 86.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 24% higher than the state average of 70.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Talpa is White (non-Hispanic), making up 69.7% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 21.3%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (69.7% vs 36.0%). The Hispanic or Latino population (21.3%) is well below the state average of 48.4%.

Education

60.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Talpa in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 95% 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 97.7%. Notably, 27.8% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Talpa, 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.