Otero County, New Mexico

16 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 68,235
Median household income: $52,717
Median home value: $149,500

Home to 68,235 residents, Otero County is one of New Mexico's counties. 16 cities and places have their primary county here. Its median household income of $52,717 runs below the New Mexico figure of $62,125.

Between 2019 and 2023, Otero County's population grew 3.2% from 66,137 to 68,235, while its median household income rose 25.6% from $41,988 to $52,717.

The largest age group is 5 to 17, 16.0% of residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 46.6% of the population.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 68,235
Median age: 36.3 yrs
Median household income: $52,717
Median home value: $149,500
Median gross rent: $926
Housing units: 32,400
Homeownership rate: 65.0%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 21.6%
Unemployment rate: 9.1%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

66,13768,235

Median household income

$41,988$52,717

Median home value

$112,400$149,500

Median gross rent

$792$926

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	66,137	$41,988	$112,400	$792
2020	66,804	$45,032	$120,800	$811
2021	67,298	$46,949	$123,000	$826
2022	67,850	$50,833	$139,100	$882
2023	68,235	$52,717	$149,500	$926

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 56.1%

5 to 1716.0%

18 to 2411.4%

25 to 3415.2%

35 to 4412.1%

45 to 5410.1%

55 to 6411.9%

65 to 7410.2%

75 and over7.0%

	Count	Share
Under 5	4,155	6.1%
5 to 17	10,942	16.0%
18 to 24	7,781	11.4%
25 to 34	10,344	15.2%
35 to 44	8,260	12.1%
45 to 54	6,906	10.1%
55 to 64	8,124	11.9%
65 to 74	6,929	10.2%
75 and over	4,794	7.0%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	31,781	46.6%
Black or African American	2,340	3.4%
American Indian & Alaska Native	3,988	5.8%
Asian	974	1.4%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	79	0.1%
Some other race	269	0.4%
Two or more races	2,121	3.1%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	26,683	39.1%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma12.7%

High school graduate29.0%

Some college or associate's36.7%

Bachelor's degree14.2%

Graduate or professional degree7.4%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	5,764	12.7%
High school graduate	13,164	29.0%
Some college or associate's	16,634	36.7%
Bachelor's degree	6,453	14.2%
Graduate or professional degree	3,342	7.4%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 23 min

Drove alone77.8%

Carpooled11.9%

Public transit0.3%

Walked3.1%

Bicycle0.3%

Worked from home6.0%

Other means0.8%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	21,689	77.8%
Carpooled	3,305	11.9%
Public transit	79	0.3%
Walked	855	3.1%
Bicycle	82	0.3%
Worked from home	1,663	6.0%
Other means	216	0.8%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	11,004	42.0%
15 to 29 min	9,044	34.5%
30 to 44 min	2,969	11.3%
45 to 59 min	1,270	4.8%
60+ min	1,939	7.4%

Households

Average household size: 2.66
Poverty rate: 20.0% (12,903 of 64,676)

	Count	Share
Family households	15,251	62.8%
Nonfamily households	9,034	37.2%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1984

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	24,285	75.0%
Vacant	8,115	25.0%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	15,794	65.0%
Renter-occupied	8,491	35.0%

1-unit, detached58.6%

1-unit, attached3.9%

2 to 4 units5.5%

5 to 19 units2.2%

20 or more units0.8%

Mobile home & other29.1%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	18,987	58.6%
1-unit, attached	1,254	3.9%
2 to 4 units	1,771	5.5%
5 to 19 units	717	2.2%
20 or more units	253	0.8%
Mobile home & other	9,418	29.1%

Geography

County GEOID: 35035
State: New Mexico
Land area: 6,613 sq mi
Water area: 14 sq mi
Center point: 32.6156, -105.7513