Lea County, New Mexico's estimated 2024 population is 71,859 with a growth rate of -0.34% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Lea County, New Mexico is the 7th largest county in New Mexico. The 2010 population was 64,598 and has seen a growth of 11.24% since that time.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 70,649 | -242 | -0.34% |
| 2028 | 70,891 | -242 | -0.34% |
| 2027 | 71,133 | -242 | -0.34% |
| 2026 | 71,375 | -242 | -0.34% |
| 2025 | 71,617 | -242 | -0.34% |
| 2024 | 71,859 | -242 | -0.34% |
| 2023 | 72,101 | -242 | -0.33% |
| 2022 | 72,343 | -719 | -0.98% |
| 2021 | 73,062 | -1,580 | -2.12% |
| 2020 | 74,642 | 3,519 | 4.95% |
| 2019 | 71,123 | 1,585 | 2.28% |
| 2018 | 69,538 | 507 | 0.73% |
| 2017 | 69,031 | -1,244 | -1.77% |
| 2016 | 70,275 | -1,205 | -1.69% |
| 2015 | 71,480 | 1,302 | 1.86% |
| 2014 | 70,178 | 1,547 | 2.25% |
| 2013 | 68,631 | 2,257 | 3.4% |
| 2012 | 66,374 | 1,239 | 1.9% |
| 2011 | 65,135 | 537 | 0.83% |
| 2010 | 64,598 | 0 | 0% |
| 1990 | 55,765 | -228 | -0.41% |
| 1980 | 55,993 | 6,439 | 12.99% |
| 1970 | 49,554 | -3,875 | -7.25% |
| 1960 | 53,429 | 22,712 | 73.94% |
| 1950 | 30,717 | 9,563 | 45.21% |
| 1940 | 21,154 | 15,010 | 244.3% |
| 1930 | 6,144 | 2,599 | 73.31% |
| 1920 | 3,545 | -67,104 | -94.98% |
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 45,587 | 62.36% |
| Two or more races | 17,350 | 23.73% |
| Other race | 5,848 | 8% |
| Black or African American | 3,078 | 4.21% |
| Native American | 800 | 1.09% |
| Asian | 440 | 0.6% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
White
Two or more races
Other race
Black or African American
Native American
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 24,379 | 2.9 | 68.4 | 31.6 |
| Married | 11,597 | 3.55 | 82.5 | 17.5 |
| Non Family | 7,550 | 1.29 | 59.9 | 40.1 |
| Female | 3,083 | 3.76 | 51.4 | 48.6 |
| Male | 2,149 | 3.84 | 46.6 | 53.4 |
3.49
Average Family Size
2.9
Average Household Size
68.4%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 4,928 | 11.35% |
| Associates Degree | 3,372 | 7.77% |
| Bachelors Degree | 3,298 | 7.6% |
| Graduate Degree | 3,040 | 7% |
| High School Graduate | 14,380 | 33.12% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 5,450 | 12.55% |
| Some College | 8,944 | 20.6% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 23,719 | 15,212 | 1,627 |
| White | 17,150 | 15,624 | 4,304 |
| 2+ Races | 9,334 | 5,567 | 632 |
| Other Race | 3,523 | 2,306 | 353 |
| Black | 1,552 | 1,356 | 216 |
| Native American | 600 | 459 | 103 |
| Asian | 191 | 183 | 93 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among asian people with a rate of 95.81%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 48.69%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $63,578 | $68,474 | $46,523 |
| Graduate Degree | $72,012 | $76,620 | $71,229 |
| High School Graduate | $48,030 | $67,915 | $23,998 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $36,833 | $45,112 | $18,505 |
| Overall | $47,694 | $62,423 | $32,689 |
| Some College | $43,780 | $71,608 | $30,876 |
$47,694
Average Earnings
$62,423
Average Male
$32,689
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
57.2% of Lea County, New Mexico residents speak only English, while 42.8% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 41.27% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 43,621 | 8,542 | 19.58% |
| White | 22,946 | 3,427 | 14.94% |
| Multiple | 16,841 | 2,983 | 17.71% |
| Other | 5,778 | 1,320 | 22.85% |
| Black | 2,882 | 715 | 24.81% |
| Native | 651 | 70 | 10.75% |
| Asian | 432 | 4 | 0.93% |
17.77%
Overall Poverty Rate
15.49%
Male Poverty Rate
20.16%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Lea County, New Mexico is Black, with 24.81% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Lea County, New Mexico is Asian, with 0.93% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.83%. Among those working part-time, it was 21.45%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 29.66%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 22.33% |
| High School | 17.11% |
| Some College | 16.48% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 4.53% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 34.88% |
| Female Unemployed | 23.08% |
| Female Employed | 9.83% |
| Male Employed | 8.02% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $75,953 | $96,403 |
| Households | $65,855 | $86,086 |
| Married Families | $90,006 | $114,584 |
| Non Families | $35,746 | $56,974 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
46.5%
Overall Marriage Rate
46.3%
Male Marriage Rate
46.7%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
1,851
Number of Veterans
1,689
Male Veterans
162
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 561 |
| First Gulf War | 483 |
| Second Gulf War | 411 |
| World War II | 45 |
| Korea | 44 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 678 |
| 65 to 74 | 502 |
| 75+ | 329 |
| 55 to 64 | 296 |
| 18 to 34 | 46 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,443 | 4.44% |
| Hispanic | 448 | 1.54% |
| 2+ Races | 134 | 1.19% |
| Other Race | 126 | 2.9% |
| Black | 87 | 4.09% |
| Native American | 58 | 8.72% |
| Asian | 3 | 1.51% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
2.16%
Veteran Poverty Rate
24.86%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
62.3%
Labor Force Participation
57.6%
Employment Rate
7.4%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
45.29%
Born in Lea County, New Mexico
82.28%
Native Born
17.72%
Foreign Born
13.41%
Non Citizen
4.31%
Naturalized
82.28% of Lea County, New Mexico residents were born in the United States, with 45.29% having been born in New Mexico. 13.41% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.