Population 19,435 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Los Alamos County
Household size in Los Alamos County
| Period | Los Alamos County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.40 | 2.71 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.41 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.38 | 2.71 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.41 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
The average household in Los Alamos County has 2.41 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southeast.
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 Los Alamos County
| Period | Los Alamos County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.6 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.2 | 38.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.2 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.6 | 40.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | −3.0 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Los Alamos County are younger than 40.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 43.6, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Los Alamos County
| Period | Los Alamos County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 14.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 14.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 13.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 14.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.4% of households in Los Alamos County, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 2.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only two of New Mexico's 33 counties have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Los Alamos County
Renters in Los Alamos County
| Period | Los Alamos County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.8% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.0% | 31.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.9% | 32.3% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.2% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a quarter of households in Los Alamos County rent their homes (25.2%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 33.6% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southeast. The renter share has risen 2.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Los Alamos County
| Period | Los Alamos County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.0% | 15.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.2% | 11.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Los Alamos County than nationally: 7.2%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy has fallen 2.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only two of New Mexico's 33 counties have a lower vacancy rate.
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 Los Alamos County
| Period | Los Alamos County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1981 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +6 |
Housing in Los Alamos County leans older: the median home dates to 1973, against 1980 nationally. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the west. Los Alamos County has older homes than at least four in five New Mexico counties.
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 Los Alamos County
| Period | Los Alamos County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,014 | $777 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,015 | $866 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,167 | $943 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,444 | $1,188 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$430 | +$411 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Los Alamos County costs $1,444 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are higher than in New Mexico as a whole ($1,188). Rents are up $430 a month from 2006–10, a 42% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 22.3% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under 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 Los Alamos County
Bachelor's degrees in Los Alamos County
| Period | Los Alamos County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 63.8% | 25.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 64.5% | 25.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 67.1% | 26.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 69.9% | 30.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Los Alamos County: 69.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 6.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. No other New Mexico county has a higher share of college graduates.
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 Los Alamos County
| Period | Los Alamos County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 99.3% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.1% | 83.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.5% | 85.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.3% | 87.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | +5.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Los Alamos County: 98.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged down 1.1 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. No other New Mexico county has a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Los Alamos County
| Period | Los Alamos County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.4% | 7.3% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.7% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.2% | 6.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.7% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −1.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Los Alamos County has been strong: just 0.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Los Alamos County has the lowest unemployment rate of any New Mexico county. Unemployment has fallen 1.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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).
Los Alamos 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Alamos County | 2.41 | 40.6 | 7.4% | 25.2% | 7.2% | 1973 | $1,444 | 69.9% | 98.3% | 0.7% |
| Harding County | 2.59 | 42.5 | 2.1% | 23.1% | 42.3% | 1960 | $1,038 | 33.3% | 92.0% | 15.3% |
| Hartley County | 2.45 | 38.6 | 14.1% | 25.6% | 7.6% | 1981 | $1,202 | 24.5% | 81.6% | 1.3% |
| Moore County | 3.06 | 32.7 | 17.3% | 37.5% | 14.3% | 1976 | $1,005 | 11.5% | 69.3% | 4.2% |
| Roberts County | 2.58 | 40.0 | 2.8% | 14.9% | 17.8% | 1966 | $859 | 20.5% | 93.8% | 0.5% |
| Hemphill County | 2.21 | 44.9 | 8.9% | 28.9% | 16.8% | 1974 | $893 | 22.6% | 83.5% | 5.6% |
| Blaine County | 2.33 | 42.4 | 10.9% | 26.6% | 26.5% | 1969 | $854 | 17.1% | 84.4% | 8.2% |
| Kingfisher County | 2.70 | 40.0 | 9.5% | 25.5% | 11.1% | 1982 | $1,002 | 23.4% | 88.9% | 1.9% |
| Logan County | 2.91 | 41.3 | 9.4% | 14.8% | 9.4% | 1991 | $1,111 | 32.0% | 91.1% | 3.5% |
| Creek County | 2.57 | 40.5 | 10.7% | 25.6% | 10.5% | 1986 | $1,000 | 18.9% | 90.9% | 3.3% |
| Muskogee County | 2.48 | 38.2 | 14.1% | 33.5% | 12.3% | 1978 | $883 | 19.1% | 87.9% | 5.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Cumberland County, VA · Sumter County, AL · Summers County, WV · Desha County, AR · Dent County, MO · DeKalb County, MO · Deer Lodge County, MT · Decatur County, TN · Dawson County, TX · Custer County, NE
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 Los Alamos 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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