Population 8,022 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ruidoso
Household size in Ruidoso
| Period | Ruidoso | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.36 | 2.71 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.34 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.65 | 2.71 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.03 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.34 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Ruidoso are small: just 2.03 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.36, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other New Mexico city with 5,000+ people has smaller households.
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 Ruidoso
| Period | Ruidoso | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.5 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 50.3 | 38.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.9 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.1 | 40.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.4 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 47.1, Ruidoso is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 48.5, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the northeast.
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 Ruidoso
| Period | Ruidoso | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 14.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 14.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 13.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.4% | 14.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Ruidoso (12.4%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are less common here than in New Mexico as a whole (14.4%). The single-parent share is up 2.8 points from 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 Ruidoso
Renters in Ruidoso
| Period | Ruidoso | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.3% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.1% | 31.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.5% | 32.3% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.4% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Ruidoso own their homes; 30.4% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. About six in ten owners (60.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 4.1 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 Ruidoso
| Period | Ruidoso | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.9% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 56.6% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 66.3% | 15.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 52.9% | 11.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Ruidoso: 52.9% 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. No other New Mexico city with 5,000+ people has a higher 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 Ruidoso
| Period | Ruidoso | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1981 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Ruidoso is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1984, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the southwest 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 Ruidoso
| Period | Ruidoso | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $832 | $777 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $793 | $866 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $832 | $943 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $927 | $1,188 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$95 | +$411 | +$606 |
The median renter in Ruidoso pays $927 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $95 a month from 2006–10, an 11% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 25.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the northeast; the most affordable 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 Ruidoso
Bachelor's degrees in Ruidoso
| Period | Ruidoso | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.2% | 25.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 30.9% | 25.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.9% | 26.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 32.6% | 30.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Ruidoso (32.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 4.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the southeast.
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 Ruidoso
| Period | Ruidoso | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.6% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.2% | 83.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.8% | 85.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.8% | 87.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +5.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Ruidoso is a bit above the national rate: 91.8% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.2 points, mirroring the country.
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 Ruidoso
| Period | Ruidoso | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 7.3% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 6.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.9% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.1 pts | −1.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Ruidoso has been strong: just 2.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Of the 52 New Mexico cities with 5,000+ people, only four have lower unemployment. Unemployment is down 6.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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).
Ruidoso 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruidoso | 2.03 | 47.1 | 12.4% | 30.4% | 52.9% | 1984 | $927 | 32.6% | 91.8% | 2.9% |
| Ruidoso Downs | 2.32 | 39.2 | 25.5% | 32.1% | 24.7% | 1983 | $876 | 18.3% | 94.8% | 3.0% |
| Alto | 2.21 | 58.9 | 10.4% | 6.9% | 47.7% | 1996 | $1,139 | 45.3% | 96.2% | 14.4% |
| Sierra Vista | 1.88 | 53.5 | 13.6% | 17.8% | 61.1% | 1985 | $1,007 | 39.8% | 85.0% | 0.0% |
| Ponderosa Heights | 4.24 | 36.5 | 23.9% | 30.9% | 27.1% | 1983 | $442 | 24.4% | 81.8% | 5.5% |
| Glencoe | 1.98 | 53.2 | 18.1% | 29.4% | 31.9% | 1984 | $1,091 | 16.0% | 90.0% | 0.7% |
| Fort Stanton | 2.48 | 54.0 | 9.2% | 15.1% | 34.8% | 1998 | $1,004 | 27.7% | 89.8% | 11.7% |
| San Patricio | 1.88 | 58.4 | 14.0% | 24.9% | 32.8% | 1985 | $1,237 | 19.0% | 88.8% | 0.0% |
| Hondo | 1.87 | 58.8 | 13.7% | 24.9% | 31.9% | 1985 | $1,224 | 18.7% | 88.9% | 0.7% |
| Picacho | 1.94 | 54.7 | 15.6% | 24.3% | 29.3% | 1986 | $1,144 | 17.3% | 88.0% | 1.3% |
| Roswell | 2.70 | 38.0 | 17.0% | 29.7% | 12.7% | 1970 | $1,010 | 19.7% | 81.9% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Rutland, MA · Rocky Face, GA · Roebuck, SC · Roscommon, MI · Rotonda, FL · Round Hill, VA · Round Lake Park, IL · Rumford, RI · Rumson, NJ · Runnemede, NJ
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 Ruidoso. 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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