Curry County, New Mexico Income Statistics
Curry 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
Curry County Well below averageWealthier than 72% of counties in New Mexico
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Curry County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $58,178 | $64,523 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,947 | $52,404 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.0% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.5% | 10.2% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.5% | 7.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Curry County is about 10% lower than in New Mexico. Income has been growing slower in Curry County (4.0%/yr) than in New Mexico (4.4%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Curry 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 Curry County, New Mexico grew by 57.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $58,178 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Curry County
| Metric | Curry County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.558 | 0.567 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $53,446 | $60,037 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,835 | $51,390 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.0% | 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 Curry County, it is 0.558, lower than New Mexico's 0.567, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 22% more than women's income in Curry County, New Mexico. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $336,385 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Curry County, New Mexico has narrowed from about 20% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2011, and was narrowest at 18% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,918 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Curry County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9% | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 3.7% | 12.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 1,593 people are unemployed in Curry County, New Mexico.
The average commute time in Curry County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 18 minutes in New Mexico.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Curry County, New Mexico has risen from 5.5% to 6.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.4% in 2015.
Curry County, NM Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Curry County, NM is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 47,638 residents against a local median of 9,731. Curry County, NM's unemployment, at 6.9%, runs 99% above the 3.5% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.0%/yr against a local median of 5.5%/yr, 28% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Curry County, NM reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 6.4% on unemployment, so Curry County, NM sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Curry County, NM has the 5th lowest unemployment 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curry County, NM | 47,638 | $58,178 #4/6 | 4.0%/yr #5/6 | 6.9% #5/6 | 0.558 #5/6 |
| Parmer County, TX | 9,731 | $72,449 | 5.1%/yr | 2.6% | 0.546 |
| Quay County, NM | 8,564 | $43,704 | 5.5%/yr | 7.4% | 0.548 |
| Roosevelt County, NM | 18,922 | $54,364 | 5.8%/yr | 5.2% | 0.548 |
| Bailey County, TX | 6,913 | $62,241 | 5.8%/yr | 1.0% | 0.589 |
| Deaf Smith County, TX | 18,460 | $61,471 | 3.2%/yr | 3.5% | 0.557 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Curry County, New Mexico has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with New Mexico, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Curry County, New Mexico.
How Rich Is Curry County, New Mexico?
Curry 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 $58,178, about 10% lower than the New Mexico average of $64,523.
How fast is household income rising in Curry County, New Mexico?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Curry County, New Mexico rose 58%, from $36,893 to $58,178. Over the same years, income here outpaced New Mexico as a whole: +58% against +50%.
What was the median household income in Curry County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Curry County, New Mexico was $56,597, up 2% from $55,417 in 2022. The New Mexico median that year was $62,406.
What was the median household income in Curry County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Curry County, New Mexico was $48,794. By 2024 it had risen 19% to $58,178.
What is the Gini coefficient in Curry County, New Mexico?
The Gini coefficient in Curry County is 0.558. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Curry County, New Mexico?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Curry County, New Mexico has narrowed from about 20% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2011, and was narrowest at 18% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,918 since 2009.
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