Population 2,188 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in La Mesa
Household size in La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.84 | 2.71 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.06 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.63 | 2.71 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.76 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in La Mesa average 2.76 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here.
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 La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.2 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.3 | 38.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.0 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.7 | 40.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +7.5 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
La Mesa skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.7, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.2, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 14.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 14.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.5% | 13.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 14.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in eight households in La Mesa (13.3%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. Even so, single parents are less common here than in New Mexico as a whole (14.4%).
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 La Mesa
Renters in La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.7% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.2% | 31.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.3% | 32.3% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 14.9% of households in La Mesa rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 56.8% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.4% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.0% | 15.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.3% | 11.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +16.9 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in La Mesa: 30.3% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
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 La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1981 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in La Mesa are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1983, versus 1980 nationally.
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 La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $475 | $777 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $532 | $866 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $710 | $943 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $611 | $1,188 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$135 | +$411 | +$606 |
The median renter in La Mesa pays $611 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 31.2% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 La Mesa
Bachelor's degrees in La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.2% | 25.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.4% | 25.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.2% | 26.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.9% | 30.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a quarter of adults 25 and older in La Mesa (25.9%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%.
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 La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 65.8% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 76.3% | 83.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 70.1% | 85.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 75.9% | 87.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.0 pts | +5.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly a quarter of adults in La Mesa never finished high school, well above the national share: only 75.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% 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 La Mesa
| Period | La Mesa | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 7.3% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.5% | 6.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.7% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −1.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in La Mesa runs well above the national rate: 9.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. 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).
La Mesa compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Mesa | 2.76 | 47.7 | 13.3% | 14.9% | 30.3% | 1983 | $611 | 25.9% | 75.9% | 9.7% |
| San Miguel | 3.18 | 40.1 | 11.9% | 12.4% | 28.4% | 1976 | $575 | 21.2% | 76.9% | 15.5% |
| Mesquite | 3.11 | 35.2 | 12.9% | 15.3% | 8.4% | 1989 | $704 | 12.4% | 57.2% | 6.7% |
| Vado | 3.43 | 28.2 | 14.7% | 28.5% | 3.5% | 1984 | $679 | 9.1% | 48.8% | 5.3% |
| Santo Tomas | 3.04 | 40.3 | 7.9% | 11.9% | 19.6% | 1986 | $655 | 38.8% | 84.2% | 11.6% |
| Chamberino | 2.89 | 48.6 | 2.5% | 19.1% | 11.3% | 1986 | $918 | 23.4% | 77.5% | 7.9% |
| Berino | 3.16 | 33.2 | 12.3% | 16.4% | 7.5% | 1989 | $796 | 16.6% | 64.5% | 8.9% |
| Mesilla Park | 2.30 | 32.7 | 14.4% | 21.0% | 41.6% | 1983 | $751 | 60.1% | 86.9% | 9.3% |
| Anthony | 2.98 | 35.7 | 18.6% | 24.9% | 8.1% | 1992 | $711 | 14.0% | 63.5% | 8.7% |
| Mesilla | 2.46 | 46.8 | 19.6% | 29.4% | 11.8% | 1978 | $896 | 40.8% | 84.8% | 4.6% |
| Chaparral | 3.82 | 37.0 | 24.6% | 30.9% | 19.1% | 1993 | $803 | 11.1% | 66.6% | 7.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Arlington, VT · Ruleville, MS · Hornsby Bend, TX · Harpursville, NY · Green Island, NY · Gosport, IN · Goodhue, MN · Fairland, OK · Estill, SC · Deer River, MN
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 La Mesa. 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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