Sierra County, New Mexico Income Statistics
Sierra 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.
-
D
Sierra County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Sierra County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $42,832 | $64,523 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $38,487 | $52,404 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.8% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.3% | 10.2% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 0.2% | 7.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Sierra County is about 34% lower than in New Mexico. Income has been growing faster in Sierra County (4.8%/yr) than in New Mexico (4.4%/yr).
About 2% of adults in Sierra 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 Sierra County, New Mexico grew by 66.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $42,832 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Sierra County
| Metric | Sierra County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.499 | 0.567 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $38,202 | $60,037 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $40,471 | $51,390 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | -5.9% | 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 Sierra County, it is 0.499, 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.
Women's income is about 6% more than men's income in Sierra County, New Mexico. Over a 35-year career, a 6% wage gap accumulates to roughly $79,415 in unearned income for male workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sierra County, New Mexico has narrowed from about 19% to -6% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2010, and in 2022 women out-earned men by 34%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $8,274 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Sierra County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2% | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.2% | 12.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 11 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 152 people are unemployed in Sierra County, New Mexico.
The average commute time in Sierra County is 11 minutes, shorter than the 18 minutes in New Mexico.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Sierra County, New Mexico has fallen from 5.4% to 4.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.4% in 2017 and fell as low as 3.6% in 2023.
Sierra County, NM Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Sierra County, NM is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 11,501 residents against a local median of 25,611. Sierra County, NM's income growth, at 4.8%/yr, runs 33% above the 3.6%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 4.2% against a local median of 5.4%, 23% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Sierra County, NM is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 3.1%/yr on income growth, so Sierra County, NM sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Sierra County, NM has the 2nd highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra County, NM | 11,501 | $42,832 #4/6 | 4.8%/yr #2/6 | 4.2% #2/6 | 0.499 #2/6 |
| Doña Ana County, NM | 224,261 | $57,291 | 5.0%/yr | 6.7% | 0.583 |
| Socorro County, NM | 16,198 | $37,471 | 1.9%/yr | 1.2% | 0.603 |
| Luna County, NM | 25,611 | $36,669 | 3.6%/yr | 5.4% | 0.561 |
| Grant County, NM | 27,774 | $44,960 | 2.1%/yr | 8.4% | 0.552 |
| Catron County, NM | 3,743 | $49,812 | 3.9%/yr | 4.2% | 0.469 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Sierra 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 Sierra County, New Mexico.
How Rich Is Sierra County, New Mexico?
Sierra 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 $42,832, about 34% lower than the New Mexico average of $64,523.
How has median household income changed in Sierra County, New Mexico?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Sierra County, New Mexico rose 67%, from $25,723 to $42,832. Over the same years, income here outpaced New Mexico as a whole: +67% against +50%.
What was the median household income in Sierra County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Sierra County, New Mexico was $37,489, up 6% from $35,214 in 2022. The New Mexico median that year was $62,406.
What was the median household income in Sierra County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Sierra County, New Mexico was $34,061. By 2024 it had risen 26% to $42,832.
Is unemployment high in Sierra County, New Mexico?
Unemployment in Sierra 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 Sierra County, New Mexico?
The Gini coefficient in Sierra County is 0.499. 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 Sierra County, New Mexico?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sierra County, New Mexico has narrowed from about 19% to -6% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2010, and in 2022 women out-earned men by 34%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $8,274 since 2009.
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