Population 73,733 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lea County
Household size in Lea County
| Period | Lea County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.80 | 2.71 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.06 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.03 | 2.71 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.03 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.23 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Lea County is a place of big households: 3.03 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has climbed from 2.80 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 Lea County
| Period | Lea County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.8 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.7 | 38.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.4 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.8 | 40.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.0 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
Lea County is young: half of its residents are under 32.8, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young families with children. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 33.8, even as the national median rose. Only one other New Mexico county is 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 Lea County
| Period | Lea County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.3% | 14.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.6% | 14.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.0% | 13.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.0% | 14.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Lea County: 16.0% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Lea County has a higher share of single-parent households than most New Mexico counties.
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 Lea County
Renters in Lea County
| Period | Lea County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.0% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.4% | 31.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.2% | 32.3% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.8% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in Lea County rent their homes (28.8%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 60.0% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southeast and least common in the center.
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 Lea County
| Period | Lea County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.4% | 15.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.7% | 11.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 13.7% of the housing in Lea County, 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. Vacancy has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Lea County
| Period | Lea County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1981 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Lea County was built around 1981, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1972 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the northwest 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 Lea County
| Period | Lea County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $677 | $777 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $823 | $866 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $887 | $943 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,160 | $1,188 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$483 | +$411 | +$606 |
The median renter in Lea County pays $1,160 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $483 a month since 2006–10, up 71%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.3% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; the highest are in the center.
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 Lea County
Bachelor's degrees in Lea County
| Period | Lea County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 25.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.0% | 25.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.0% | 26.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.7% | 30.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.3 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Lea County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 16.7%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 4.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Lea County has a lower share of college graduates than the great majority of New Mexico counties.
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 Lea County
| Period | Lea County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 72.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 71.6% | 83.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 73.9% | 85.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 75.1% | 87.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +5.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About a quarter of adults in Lea County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 75.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 2.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Lea County has the lowest share of high school graduates of any New Mexico county.
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 Lea County
| Period | Lea County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 7.3% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 6.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −1.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Lea County than nationally: unemployment was 7.0%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. 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).
Lea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lea County | 3.03 | 32.8 | 16.0% | 28.8% | 13.7% | 1981 | $1,160 | 16.7% | 75.1% | 7.0% |
| Gaines County | 3.42 | 28.8 | 11.4% | 25.4% | 11.3% | 1990 | $811 | 12.2% | 55.0% | 2.3% |
| Dawson County | 2.68 | 34.8 | 15.4% | 29.4% | 21.9% | 1967 | $976 | 13.4% | 72.8% | 7.7% |
| Borden County | 2.93 | 32.2 | 4.9% | 33.7% | 34.0% | 1973 | $1,246 | 36.9% | 94.4% | 0.3% |
| Scurry County | 2.69 | 37.0 | 14.3% | 23.2% | 14.9% | 1970 | $1,018 | 15.5% | 82.3% | 3.1% |
| Fisher County | 2.33 | 39.6 | 14.1% | 19.6% | 22.9% | 1964 | $567 | 17.2% | 91.0% | 4.7% |
| Otero County | 2.97 | 39.1 | 15.8% | 33.0% | 21.0% | 1986 | $972 | 23.2% | 86.6% | 8.3% |
| Jones County | 2.48 | 40.9 | 9.5% | 19.6% | 15.3% | 1973 | $996 | 13.2% | 84.3% | 5.2% |
| Shackelford County | 2.46 | 42.6 | 6.1% | 21.3% | 16.2% | 1966 | $698 | 33.8% | 93.3% | 8.2% |
| Stephens County | 2.53 | 41.6 | 14.5% | 20.8% | 21.4% | 1972 | $799 | 16.9% | 82.4% | 3.9% |
| Palo Pinto County | 2.66 | 41.9 | 13.2% | 29.0% | 17.8% | 1979 | $1,226 | 17.1% | 86.9% | 6.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Leavenworth County, KS · St. Francois County, MO · Spalding County, GA · Somerset County, PA · Shiawassee County, MI · Scioto County, OH · Sauk County, WI · San Patricio County, TX · Salem County, NJ · Rockingham County, VA
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 Lea 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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