Lea County, New Mexico Income Statistics
Lea 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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C
Lea County Below averageWealthier than 84% of counties in New Mexico
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lea County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $67,016 | $64,523 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $57,430 | $52,404 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 1.8% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 10.8% | 10.2% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 9.1% | 7.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lea County is about 4% higher than in New Mexico. Income has been growing slower in Lea County (1.8%/yr) than in New Mexico (4.4%/yr).
About 11% of adults in Lea County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the New Mexico average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Lea County, New Mexico grew by 56.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $67,016 in 2024. That's an average of about 1.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lea County
| Metric | Lea County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.619 | 0.567 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $69,820 | $60,037 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,979 | $51,390 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 38.4% | 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 Lea County, it is 0.619, higher than New Mexico's 0.567, so income is less 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 62% more than women's income in Lea County, New Mexico. Over a 35-year career, a 62% wage gap accumulates to roughly $939,435 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lea County, New Mexico has narrowed from about 40% to 38% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 44% in 2019, and was narrowest at 36% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $8,877 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Lea 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 2,294 people are unemployed in Lea County, New Mexico.
The average commute time in Lea County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 18 minutes in New Mexico.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lea County, New Mexico has fallen from 7.6% to 6.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.4% in 2013 and fell as low as 5.9% in 2015.
Lea County, NM Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lea County, NM is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 73,733 residents against a local median of 18,610. Lea County, NM's unemployment, at 6.9%, runs 106% above the 3.3% 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: 1.8%/yr against a local median of 3.0%/yr, 39% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Lea County, NM reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 5.9% on unemployment, so Lea County, NM sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lea 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lea County, NM | 73,733 | $67,016 #5/6 | 1.8%/yr #5/6 | 6.9% #5/6 | 0.619 #6/6 |
| Yoakum County, TX | 7,571 | $86,598 | 5.4%/yr | 6.9% | 0.578 |
| Gaines County, TX | 22,232 | $73,709 | 3.0%/yr | 2.4% | 0.596 |
| Andrews County, TX | 18,610 | $72,492 | 0.8%/yr | 3.3% | 0.579 |
| Eddy County, NM | 61,104 | $77,819 | 3.6%/yr | 5.5% | 0.571 |
| Loving County, TX | 33 | $55,000 | 3.0%/yr | 1.0% | 0.273 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lea County, New Mexico has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than New Mexico, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Lea County, New Mexico.
How Rich Is Lea County, New Mexico?
Lea County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $67,016, about 4% higher than the New Mexico average of $64,523.
How fast is household income rising in Lea County, New Mexico?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lea County, New Mexico rose 57%, from $42,711 to $67,016. Over the same years, income here outpaced New Mexico as a whole: +57% against +50%.
What was the median household income in Lea County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lea County, New Mexico was $68,054, up 4% from $65,715 in 2022. The New Mexico median that year was $62,406.
What was the median household income in Lea County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lea County, New Mexico was $62,059. By 2024 it had risen 8% to $67,016.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lea County, New Mexico?
The Gini coefficient in Lea County is 0.619. 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 Lea County, New Mexico?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lea County, New Mexico has narrowed from about 40% to 38% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 44% in 2019, and was narrowest at 36% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $8,877 since 2009.
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