Otero County, New Mexico Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Otero County, NM Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
B
Health Around average
-
D
Income Well below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Otero County | New Mexico Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 68,816 | 2,118,085 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 10.4 | 17.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.65% | 0.20% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.7 | 38.1 | 37.3 |
| Households | 24,480 | 836,644 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Otero County grew by 8.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 68,816 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Otero County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 23.8% of residents. That is 2.3 points above New Mexico as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 16,410 23.8% +2.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 14,326 20.8% -0.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 12,252 17.8% -0.9 pts
- Boomers 61–79 11,866 17.2% -1.2 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below New Mexico, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 48.5% of the people living in Otero County and men 51.5%.
- Women 48.5% New Mexico 50.5%
- Men 51.5% New Mexico 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Otero County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Otero County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Otero County | New Mexico Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,166 | $64,523 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.87% | 4.42% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.3% | 5.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Otero County is about 13% lower than in New Mexico.
Housing
| Metric | Otero County | New Mexico Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $167,814 | $204,122 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $961 | $1,067 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.0% | 70.0% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Otero County is about 14.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $961 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Otero County spend about 35 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 146 hours, about 6.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Otero County | New Mexico Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.5 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 35.0 | 37.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 146 | 157 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,519 | $4,866 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 12.2% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 7,164 | 4,931 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 730 | 619 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
New Mexico:
De Baca County (7.9 min), Quay County (8.0 min), Union County (8.3 min).
Slowest:
Torrance County (36.5 min), Mora County (30.1 min), Valencia County (30.1 min).
The average commute time in Otero County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 19 minutes in New Mexico.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Otero County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Otero County | New Mexico Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.7% | 26.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.67 | 2.49 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
New Mexico:
Los Alamos County (0.6), Santa Fe County (0.4), Bernalillo County (0.3).
Lowest:
Guadalupe County (0.2), Luna County (0.2), McKinley County (0.2).
Health
Otero County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Otero County | New Mexico Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.4 | 78.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.9% | 17.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.8% | 18.0% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
New Mexico:
Los Alamos County (0.8), Santa Fe County (0.8), Bernalillo County (0.8).
Lowest:
McKinley County (0.8), Cibola County (0.8), Luna County (0.8).
Otero County, NM Compared With Nearby Counties
Otero County, NM is the 3rd largest of the 5 counties compared here, 68,816 residents against a local median of 142,683. Otero County, NM's median home price, at $167,814, runs 25% below the $223,916 typical of the counties around it.
The counties themselves spread $95,561 on median home price, so Otero County, NM sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Otero County, NM has the 5th highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otero County, NM | 68,816 | $56,166 #4/5 | $167,814 #5/5 | 17.5 min #3/5 |
| El Paso County, TX | 870,506 | $59,810 | $216,908 | 21.9 min |
| Doña Ana County, NM | 224,261 | $57,291 | $171,025 | 18.1 min |
| Lincoln County, NM | 20,223 | $53,596 | $230,925 | 15.4 min |
| Eddy County, NM | 61,104 | $77,819 | $266,585 | 15.1 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Otero County, New Mexico.
How many people live in Otero County, New Mexico?
About 68,816 people live in Otero County, New Mexico, in 24,480 households of 2.7 people on average. The median age is 36.7, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Otero County, New Mexico urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Otero County, New Mexico has 10 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 12% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Otero County, New Mexico an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 3.0 times the median household income ($167,814 against $56,166), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $961 a month takes about 21% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Otero County, New Mexico?
Unemployment in Otero County, New Mexico is 7.3%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How common is a college degree in Otero County, New Mexico?
18.7% of adults in Otero County, New Mexico hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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