Population 47,638 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Curry County
Household size in Curry County
| Period | Curry County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.66 | 2.71 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.71 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.65 | 2.71 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.62 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Curry County average 2.62 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Household size has edged down from 2.66 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the south.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Curry County
| Period | Curry County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.8 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.4 | 38.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.3 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.2 | 40.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.6 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.2, Curry County is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults and children. Since 2006–10, the median age has edged down from 34.8, even as the national median rose. Only two of New Mexico's 33 counties are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Curry County
| Period | Curry County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 14.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.4% | 14.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 13.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.0% | 14.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are more common in Curry County than nationally: 14.0%, against 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of New Mexico. The single-parent share is down 1.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Curry County
Renters in Curry County
| Period | Curry County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.6% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.6% | 31.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.0% | 32.3% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.3% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly four in ten households in Curry County rent their homes (37.3%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in New Mexico as a whole (30.0%). Among owners, 46.0% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Only one other New Mexico county has a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Curry County
| Period | Curry County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.2% | 15.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 11.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Curry County: 13.3% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is down 0.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Curry County
| Period | Curry County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1981 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Curry County was built around 1978, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in New Mexico as a whole, where the median home dates to 1985. The median year built has moved up from 1970 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the south has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Curry County
| Period | Curry County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $631 | $777 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $754 | $866 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $881 | $943 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,051 | $1,188 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$421 | +$411 | +$606 |
The median renter in Curry County pays $1,051 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $421 a month since 2006–10, up 67%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 33.6% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Curry County
Bachelor's degrees in Curry County
| Period | Curry County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.1% | 25.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.1% | 25.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.0% | 26.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.1% | 30.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Curry County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 24.1%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 4.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the south.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Curry County
| Period | Curry County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.1% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.2% | 83.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.4% | 85.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.2% | 87.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +5.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Curry County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 1.1 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Curry County
| Period | Curry County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 7.3% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 6.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | −1.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Curry County runs well above the national rate: 8.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Unemployment is up 3.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Curry County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curry County | 2.62 | 34.2 | 14.0% | 37.3% | 13.3% | 1978 | $1,051 | 24.1% | 83.2% | 8.3% |
| Parmer County | 3.05 | 36.6 | 12.2% | 27.9% | 14.4% | 1972 | $1,011 | 16.3% | 67.8% | 2.9% |
| Castro County | 3.05 | 33.7 | 13.8% | 36.4% | 17.8% | 1966 | $980 | 18.9% | 74.7% | 3.9% |
| De Baca County | 1.94 | 30.7 | 23.4% | 28.5% | 34.8% | 1979 | $387 | 9.3% | 90.0% | 8.4% |
| Swisher County | 2.66 | 37.7 | 15.0% | 33.6% | 22.2% | 1960 | $897 | 16.7% | 80.7% | 3.4% |
| Briscoe County | 2.34 | 47.8 | 2.9% | 17.2% | 35.2% | 1964 | $629 | 24.9% | 84.1% | 0.7% |
| Childress County | 2.90 | 38.2 | 16.9% | 29.0% | 33.4% | 1967 | $842 | 13.9% | 82.1% | 0.6% |
| Tillman County | 2.53 | 41.7 | 12.7% | 27.2% | 26.7% | 1963 | $687 | 16.4% | 81.8% | 5.5% |
| Cotton County | 2.68 | 44.2 | 9.1% | 19.7% | 22.6% | 1971 | $741 | 23.6% | 88.4% | 3.5% |
| Stephens County | 2.47 | 41.5 | 10.5% | 25.6% | 13.6% | 1974 | $934 | 20.0% | 89.3% | 5.4% |
| Murray County | 2.74 | 40.2 | 9.6% | 27.9% | 23.6% | 1981 | $904 | 19.3% | 86.3% | 2.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Shelby County, KY · Branch County, MI · Bristol County, RI · Webster County, MO · Bryan County, GA · Butler County, MO · Warren County, MS · Douglas County, WI · Waldo County, ME · Campbell County, TN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Curry County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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