Population 68,816 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Otero County
Household size in Otero County
| Period | Otero County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.71 | 2.71 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.81 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.76 | 2.71 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.97 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.25 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Otero County are large by national standards, averaging 2.97 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.71, 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 Otero County
| Period | Otero County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.7 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.1 | 38.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.0 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.1 | 40.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.4 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Otero County are younger than 39.1 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.7, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the north.
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 Otero County
| Period | Otero County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 14.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 14.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.5% | 13.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.8% | 14.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Otero County: 15.8% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has risen 3.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Otero County
Renters in Otero County
| Period | Otero County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.4% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.3% | 31.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.8% | 32.3% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.0% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Otero County rent their homes (33.0%), close to the national share of 34.8%. More than half of owners (54.5%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 0.6 points, 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 Otero County
| Period | Otero County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.1% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.3% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 22.7% | 15.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.0% | 11.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 21.0% of the housing in Otero 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 is up 1.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Otero County
| Period | Otero County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1981 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Otero County are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1986, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center 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 Otero County
| Period | Otero County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $684 | $777 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $869 | $866 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $806 | $943 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $972 | $1,188 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$289 | +$411 | +$606 |
Rent in Otero County runs $972 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $289 a month from 2006–10, a 42% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.8% of the typical renter's income, just 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 Otero County
Bachelor's degrees in Otero County
| Period | Otero County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.3% | 25.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.8% | 25.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.6% | 26.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.2% | 30.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Otero County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 23.2%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 5.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the southwest.
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 Otero County
| Period | Otero County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.8% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.4% | 83.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.3% | 85.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.6% | 87.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +5.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in eight adults in Otero County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. That is in line with the rest of New Mexico. The share with a diploma is up 3.8 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 Otero County
| Period | Otero County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 7.3% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 6.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Otero County runs well above the national rate: 8.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 0.7 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Otero 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otero County | 2.97 | 39.1 | 15.8% | 33.0% | 21.0% | 1986 | $972 | 23.2% | 86.6% | 8.3% |
| Grant County | 2.49 | 48.6 | 6.2% | 24.2% | 22.1% | 1977 | $772 | 29.9% | 89.8% | 7.3% |
| 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% |
| Graham County | 2.92 | 35.7 | 16.9% | 26.9% | 10.0% | 1989 | $1,000 | 15.5% | 86.0% | 8.4% |
| 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% |
| 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% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Ward County, ND · Carbon County, PA · Carteret County, NC · Catoosa County, GA · Chaves County, NM · Union County, OH · Vermilion County, IL · Walker County, AL · Walla Walla County, WA · Allegany County, MD
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 Otero 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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