Population 6,568 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Tucumcari
Household size in Tucumcari
| Period | Tucumcari | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.31 | 2.71 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.77 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.11 | 2.71 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.92 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.38 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Tucumcari are small: just 1.92 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 2.31, a much bigger shift than nationally. No 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 Tucumcari
| Period | Tucumcari | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.2 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.6 | 38.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.1 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.0 | 40.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.8 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.0, Tucumcari 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 crept up from 44.2 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the northwest and oldest in the east.
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 Tucumcari
| Period | Tucumcari | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 14.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 14.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.5% | 13.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.2% | 14.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in six households in Tucumcari (17.2%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 5.9 points, 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 Tucumcari
Renters in Tucumcari
| Period | Tucumcari | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.9% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.3% | 31.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.0% | 32.3% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.8% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in Tucumcari rent their homes (28.8%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 63.5% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share is up 1.9 points from 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 Tucumcari
| Period | Tucumcari | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.1% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.7% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 37.1% | 15.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 11.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −8.6 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.5% of the housing in Tucumcari, 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 8.6 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 Tucumcari
| Period | Tucumcari | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1967 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1981 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | −3 | +4 | +6 |
Tucumcari is a place of older homes: half were built before 1964, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Only one other New Mexico city with 5,000+ people has older homes.
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 Tucumcari
| Period | Tucumcari | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $539 | $777 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $435 | $866 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $562 | $943 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $996 | $1,188 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$457 | +$411 | +$606 |
The median renter in Tucumcari pays $996 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $457 a month since 2006–10, up 85%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 34.3% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the north.
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 Tucumcari
Bachelor's degrees in Tucumcari
| Period | Tucumcari | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.9% | 25.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.4% | 25.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 26.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.8% | 30.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.9 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Tucumcari have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 23.8%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 9.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Tucumcari
| Period | Tucumcari | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.8% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 78.8% | 83.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 80.5% | 85.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.8% | 87.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +14.0 pts | +5.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Tucumcari is close to the national rate: 89.8% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in New Mexico as a whole (87.5%). The share with a diploma is up 14.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 Tucumcari
| Period | Tucumcari | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 7.3% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 6.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Tucumcari: 9.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only three of the 52 New Mexico cities with 5,000+ people have higher unemployment. 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).
Tucumcari 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucumcari | 1.92 | 45.0 | 17.2% | 28.8% | 14.5% | 1964 | $996 | 23.8% | 89.8% | 9.1% |
| Montoya | 2.14 | 51.6 | 2.1% | 51.8% | 27.8% | 1955 | $934 | 23.3% | 95.8% | 2.1% |
| San Jon | 1.88 | 61.8 | 7.9% | 19.1% | 29.0% | 1978 | $964 | 19.9% | 96.7% | 2.9% |
| Bard | 1.82 | 61.0 | 9.5% | 21.6% | 24.6% | 1977 | $934 | 19.9% | 97.5% | 3.3% |
| Newkirk | 2.60 | 43.9 | 4.8% | 19.0% | 12.8% | 1972 | $590 | 14.5% | 80.7% | 4.8% |
| Glenrio | 3.22 | 31.0 | 5.1% | 26.6% | 31.4% | 1974 | $1,269 | 44.0% | 81.9% | 0.6% |
| Adrian | 2.85 | 20.5 | 6.4% | 32.0% | 30.4% | 1970 | $1,175 | 35.5% | 91.0% | 1.5% |
| Vega | 2.88 | 37.2 | 13.8% | 23.7% | 17.9% | 1968 | $1,093 | 19.5% | 81.7% | 1.6% |
| La Loma | 2.67 | 35.3 | 7.2% | 18.0% | 36.0% | 1975 | $443 | 6.5% | 74.4% | 0.0% |
| Upper Dilia | 2.69 | 36.1 | 8.9% | 18.2% | 33.5% | 1977 | $476 | 7.6% | 75.0% | 0.1% |
| Llano Del Medio | 2.67 | 35.1 | 6.8% | 18.0% | 36.5% | 1975 | $437 | 6.3% | 74.3% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Roseland, NJ · Lamar, MO · Lancaster, MA · Lancaster, WI · Lascassas, TN · Lawndale, NC · Lawrenceville, IL · Leadville, CO · Leakesville, MS · Lebanon, CT
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 Tucumcari. 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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