Population 11,500 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Sierra County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Sierra County
Household size in Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.59 | 2.71 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.53 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.95 | 2.71 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.13 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.45 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Sierra County are small: just 2.13 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. Household size has dropped from 2.59 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.5 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 55.8 | 38.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 55.6 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 54.5 | 40.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.0 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 54.5, Sierra County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 50.5 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other New Mexico county is older.
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 Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 14.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.6% | 14.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.5% | 13.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 14.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Sierra County (9.8%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.1 points, even as the national share fell. Sierra County has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five 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 Sierra County
Renters in Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.7% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.1% | 31.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.1% | 32.3% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.2% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Sierra County own their homes; 28.2% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 68.3% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southwest. The renter share is up 6.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.7% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 42.5% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 32.6% | 15.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.5% | 11.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −9.2 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 33.5% of the housing in Sierra 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 9.2 points, a much bigger shift than 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 Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1981 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Sierra County was built around 1981, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1975 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
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 Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $528 | $777 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $587 | $866 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $601 | $943 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $854 | $1,188 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$327 | +$411 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Sierra County costs $854 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $327 a month since 2006–10, up 62%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 31.8% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the southwest.
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 Sierra County
Bachelor's degrees in Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.1% | 25.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.0% | 25.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.1% | 26.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.8% | 30.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Sierra County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 16.8%, against 35.6% nationally. Sierra 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 Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.3% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.9% | 83.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.7% | 85.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.9% | 87.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.6 pts | +5.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Sierra County is close to the national rate: 88.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.6 points, 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 Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.1% | 7.3% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.8% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 6.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Sierra County runs below the national rate: 4.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% 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).
Sierra 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra County | 2.13 | 54.5 | 9.8% | 28.2% | 33.5% | 1981 | $854 | 16.8% | 88.9% | 4.3% |
| Pinal County | 3.01 | 41.5 | 13.4% | 18.3% | 10.9% | 2002 | $1,700 | 22.3% | 89.2% | 6.1% |
| Yoakum County | 2.84 | 32.9 | 12.5% | 33.2% | 15.4% | 1980 | $972 | 22.5% | 73.6% | 7.2% |
| Terry County | 2.62 | 37.3 | 20.0% | 33.5% | 11.9% | 1968 | $814 | 12.6% | 78.3% | 5.8% |
| Lynn County | 2.75 | 37.2 | 9.3% | 23.0% | 16.6% | 1967 | $685 | 30.9% | 85.4% | 3.3% |
| Garza County | 2.65 | 38.0 | 10.0% | 29.5% | 31.4% | 1973 | $954 | 11.4% | 71.6% | 9.6% |
| Kent County | 2.19 | 60.0 | 1.0% | 20.8% | 41.1% | 1973 | $675 | 26.3% | 87.8% | 8.5% |
| Stonewall County | 2.29 | 53.2 | 4.9% | 15.4% | 35.2% | 1969 | $613 | 18.6% | 91.5% | 2.8% |
| Haskell County | 2.45 | 42.3 | 9.6% | 26.3% | 30.2% | 1965 | $786 | 23.2% | 87.6% | 5.0% |
| Throckmorton County | 2.22 | 45.3 | 11.4% | 32.0% | 25.6% | 1962 | $909 | 21.6% | 93.1% | 7.7% |
| Young County | 2.36 | 42.4 | 9.4% | 25.9% | 10.7% | 1976 | $774 | 23.5% | 87.6% | 3.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Fayette County, IL · Eureka County, NV · Evans County, GA · Fairfield County, SC · Fall River County, SD · Falls Church City, VA · Falls County, TX · Faribault County, MN · Fayette County, AL · Fayette County, IA
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 Sierra 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.