Otero County, NM

County

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2023 Population

68,235

0.567% 1-year growth

US Senator

Martin Heinrich

Democratic Party

US Senator

Ben Ray Luján

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

36.3

1.11% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

20%

3.03% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$52,717

3.71% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$149,500

7.48% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

24,036

4.12% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Otero County, NM had a population of 68.2k people with a median age of 36.3 and a median household income of $52,717. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Otero County, NM grew from 67,850 to 68,235, a 0.567% increase and its median household income grew from $50,833 to $52,717, a 3.71% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Otero County, NM are White (Non-Hispanic) (46.6%), Two+ (Hispanic) (15.7%), White (Hispanic) (13.4%), Other (Hispanic) (9.09%), and American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (5.84%).

None of the households in Otero County, NM reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

94% of the residents in Otero County, NM are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Otero County, NM are Olympian Academy of Cosmetology-Alamogordo Campus (456 degrees awarded in 2022) and New Mexico State University-Alamogordo (110 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Otero County, NM was $149,500, and the homeownership rate was 65%.

Most people in Otero County, NM drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Otero County, NM was 2 cars per household.

Otero County, NM borders Chaves County, NM, Doña Ana County, NM, Eddy County, NM, Lincoln County, NM, Sierra County, NM, Culberson County, TX, El Paso County, TX, and Hudspeth County, TX.

United States New Mexico Alamogordo, NM

Population & Diversity

Otero County, NM is home to a population of 68.2k people, from which 94% are citizens. As of 2023, 9.99% of Otero County, NM residents were born outside of the country (6.82k people).

In 2023, there were 2.98 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (31.8k people) in Otero County, NM than any other race or ethnicity. There were 10.7k Two+ (Hispanic) and 9.18k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

94%

2023 Citizenship

94.8%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 94% of Otero County, NM residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Otero County, NM was 94.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Otero County, NM compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Otero County, NM

White (Non-Hispanic)
31.8k ± 322
Two+ (Hispanic)
10.7k ± 1.16k
White (Hispanic)
9.18k ± 1.52k

39.1%

Hispanic Population

26.7k people

39.1% of the people in Otero County, NM are hispanic (26.7k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Otero County, NM as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for New Mexico.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
128,832 ± 8,539 people
Philippines
5,882 ± 1,880 people
Germany
4,070 ± 1,565 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of New Mexico was Mexico, the natal country of 128,832 New Mexico residents, followed by Philippines with 5,882 and Germany with 4,070.

Foreign-Born Population

9.99%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

6.82k people

9.58%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

6.5k people

As of 2023, 9.99% of Otero County, NM residents (6.82k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Otero County, NM was 9.58%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Otero County, NM compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
2,658 ± 453
Vietnam
2,044 ± 280
Gulf War (1990s)
1,071 ± 218

Otero County, NM has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.3 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Otero County, NM employs 24k people. The largest industries in Otero County, NM are Health Care & Social Assistance (3,846 people), Retail Trade (3,086 people), and Construction (2,788 people), and the highest paying industries are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($92,509), Information ($58,975), and Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($55,469).

Males in New Mexico have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $53,740. The income inequality in New Mexico (measured using the Gini index) is 0.462, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

24k

2023 Value

± 1,394

4.12%

1 Year growth

± 8.2%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Otero County, NM grew at a rate of 4.12%, from 23.1k employees to 24k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Otero County, NM, are Sales & Related Occupations (2,716 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,271 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (2,249 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Otero County, NM.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in New Mexico (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

24k

2023 Value

± 1,394

4.12%

1 Year growth

± 8.2%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Otero County, NM grew at a rate of 4.12%, from 23.1k employees to 24k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Otero County, NM, are Health Care & Social Assistance (3,846 people), Retail Trade (3,086 people), and Construction (2,788 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Otero County, NM, though some of these residents may live in Otero County, NM and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$40,106

Median earning men ± $3,512

$29,747

Median earning women ± $2,362

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($74,179), Information ($59,950), and Public Administration ($58,727).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($51,769), Information ($47,733), and Public Administration ($44,010).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Mexico.

Y-Axis

2.72%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 860k people employed in New Mexico. This represents a 2.72% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.8%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in New Mexico.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

75
Other Services (except Public Administration)
67
Construction
56
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$164k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$75.5k
Retail Trade
$55.1k
Accommodation and Food Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2022, universities in Otero County, NM awarded 566 degrees. The student population of Otero County, NM in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 509 male students and 1,211 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Otero County, NM are Hispanic or Latino (231 and 40.8%), followed by White (136 and 24%), Black or African American (113 and 20%), and Unknown (63 and 11.1%).

The largest universities in Otero County, NM by number of degrees awarded are Olympian Academy of Cosmetology-Alamogordo Campus (456 and 80.6%) and New Mexico State University-Alamogordo (110 and 19.4%).

The most popular majors in Otero County, NM are General Cosmetology (167 and 29.5%), Nail Specialist & Manicurist (121 and 21.4%), and Aesthetician & Skin Care Specialist (80 and 14.1%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 1,720 students enrolled in Otero County, NM, 29.6% men and 70.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 757 records, of which 67.9% were women and 32.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Cosmetology
167 degrees awarded
Barbering
75 degrees awarded
Hair Styling & Design
10 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Otero County, NM was General Cosmetology with 167 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Otero County, NM according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Olympian Academy of Cosmetology-Alamogordo Campus
456 degrees awarded
New Mexico State University-Alamogordo
110 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Olympian Academy of Cosmetology-Alamogordo Campus with 456 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 115 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Otero County, NM, which is 0.255 times less than the 451 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 231 degrees mean that there were 1.7 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 136 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($2,328) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($192) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,240) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Mexico.

Measure

In 2022, 1.05% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.86% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Mexico.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (454k), Some college (398k), and Secondary Education (257k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Otero County, NM was $149,500 in 2023, which is 0.493 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $139,100 to $149,500, a 7.48% increase. The homeownership rate in Otero County, NM is 65%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Otero County, NM have an average commute time of 22.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Otero County, NM is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Otero County, NM is $52,717. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Otero County, NM was Census Tract 9.01 with a value of $76,146, followed by Census Tract 3.04 and Census Tract 3.06, with respective values of $73,491 and $68,125.

In 2023, 12.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Otero County, NM. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.72%.

Housing

Property

$149,500

Median Property Value 2023

±$8,981

$15,794

Median Property Taxes

±$974

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Otero County, NM the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Otero County, NM compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

65%

Homeownership

2023

68.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 65% of the housing units in Otero County, NM were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 65.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Otero County, NM compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9.01
Census Tract 3.04
Census Tract 3.06

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Otero County, NM was Census Tract 9.01 with a value of $76,146, followed by Census Tract 3.04 and Census Tract 3.06, with respective values of $73,491 and $68,125.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Otero County, NM colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$52,717

Median Household Income

± $2,406

24.3k

Number of Households

± 1,295

In 2023, the median household income of the 24.3k households in Otero County, NM grew to $52,717 from the previous year's value of $50,833.

The following chart displays the households in Otero County, NM distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Otero County, NM is from New Mexico.

0.462

2022 Wage GINI in New Mexico

0.46

2021 Wage GINI in New Mexico

In 2022, the income inequality in New Mexico was 0.462 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.44% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for New Mexico was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in New Mexico in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in New Mexico across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (77.8%)
Carpooled (11.9%)
Worked At Home (5.96%)

In 2023, 77.8% of workers in Otero County, NM drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.9%) and those who worked at home (5.96%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

22.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Otero County, NM have a shorter commute time (22.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.12% of the workforce in Otero County, NM have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Otero County, NM compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Otero County, NM distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Otero County, NM have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 12.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Otero County, NM. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.72%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

20% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Otero County, NM (12.9k out of 64.7k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 6 - 11, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Otero County, NM is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 27.7% of the children was living in poverty in Otero County, NM. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 8.7%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

91% of the population of Otero County, NM has health coverage, with 23.4% on employee plans, 31.4% on Medicaid, 10.6% on Medicare, 16.9% on non-group plans, and 8.67% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Otero County, NM see 2344 patients per year on average, which represents a 18.1% increase from the previous year (1985 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1904 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 339 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49% were men and 51% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,344 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Otero County, NM

Primary care physicians in Otero County, NM see an average of 2,344 patients per year. This represents a 18.1% increase from the previous year (1,985 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Otero County, NM in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.7% under 18 years, 20.7% between 18 and 34 years, 35% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49% were men and 51% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

8.98%

Uninsured

23.4%

Employer Coverage

31.4%

Medicaid

10.6%

Medicare

16.9%

Non-Group

8.67%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Otero County, NM declined by 2.48% from 9.21% to 8.98%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Otero County, NM changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 61.6 in Otero County, NM.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Otero County, NM.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 33.4% in Otero County, NM.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Otero County, NM.