Catron County, New Mexico Income Statistics
Catron County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Catron County Well below averageLess wealthy than 72% of counties in New Mexico
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Catron County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $49,812 | $64,523 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $34,454 | $52,404 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.9% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 1.8% | 10.2% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 0.0% | 7.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Catron County is about 23% lower than in New Mexico. Income has been growing slower in Catron County (3.9%/yr) than in New Mexico (4.4%/yr).
About 2% of adults in Catron County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the New Mexico average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Catron County, New Mexico grew by 62.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $49,812 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Catron County
| Metric | Catron County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.469 | 0.567 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $48,392 | $60,037 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $30,805 | $51,390 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 36.3% | 14.4% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Catron County, it is 0.469, lower than New Mexico's 0.567, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 57% more than women's income in Catron County, New Mexico. Over a 35-year career, a 57% wage gap accumulates to roughly $615,545 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Catron County, New Mexico has widened from about 34% to 36% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 50% in 2011, and was narrowest at 15% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,145 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Catron County widened by 2.4 points while New Mexico's narrowed by 8.9 points.
Employment
| Metric | Catron County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2% | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 22.7% | 12.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 47 people are unemployed in Catron County, New Mexico.
The average commute time in Catron County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 18 minutes in New Mexico.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Catron County, New Mexico has fallen from 7.9% to 4.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.3% in 2014 and fell as low as 1.0% in 2017.
Catron County, NM Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Catron County, NM is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 3,743 residents against a local median of 16,198. Catron County, NM's income inequality, at 0.469, runs 19% below the 0.577 typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 0.112 on income inequality, so Catron County, NM sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Catron County, NM has the lowest income inequality of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catron County, NM | 3,743 | $49,812 #3/6 | 3.9%/yr #4/6 | 4.2% #4/6 | 0.469 #1/6 |
| Cibola County, NM | 26,844 | $50,436 | 4.2%/yr | 10.5% | 0.611 |
| Greenlee County, AZ | 9,411 | $73,380 | 4.5%/yr | 2.3% | 0.577 |
| Grant County, NM | 27,774 | $44,960 | 2.1%/yr | 8.4% | 0.552 |
| Sierra County, NM | 11,501 | $42,832 | 4.8%/yr | 4.2% | 0.499 |
| Socorro County, NM | 16,198 | $37,471 | 1.9%/yr | 1.2% | 0.603 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Catron County, New Mexico has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than New Mexico, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Catron County, New Mexico.
How Rich Is Catron County, New Mexico?
Catron County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $49,812, about 23% lower than the New Mexico average of $64,523.
How fast is household income rising in Catron County, New Mexico?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Catron County, New Mexico rose 62%, from $30,692 to $49,812. Over the same years, income here outpaced New Mexico as a whole: +62% against +50%.
What was the median household income in Catron County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Catron County, New Mexico was $46,438, up 4% from $44,708 in 2022. The New Mexico median that year was $62,406.
What was the median household income in Catron County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Catron County, New Mexico was $35,782. By 2024 it had risen 39% to $49,812.
Is it hard to find a job in Catron County, New Mexico?
Unemployment in Catron County, New Mexico is only 4.2%, well below the New Mexico rate of 5.9%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Catron County, New Mexico?
The Gini coefficient in Catron County is 0.469. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Catron County, New Mexico?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Catron County, New Mexico has widened from about 34% to 36% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 50% in 2011, and was narrowest at 15% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,145 since 2009.
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