White Sands, NM

Census Place

2024 Population

1,609

US Senator

Martin Heinrich

Democratic Party

US Senator

Ben Ray Luján

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

22.5

3.69% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

1.92%

74% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$89,565

2.88% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

347

Population & Diversity

White Sands, NM is home to a population of 1.61k people, from which 97.5% are citizens.

As of 2024, 7.15% of White Sands, NM residents were born outside of the country (115 people).

In 2024, there were 5.98 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1.04k people) in White Sands, NM than any other race or ethnicity. There were 174 Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 172 Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.5%

2024 Citizenship

97.8%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.5% of White Sands, NM residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in White Sands, NM was 97.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in White Sands, NM

White (Non-Hispanic)
1.04k ± 305
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
174 ± 96
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
172 ± 101

11.2%

Hispanic Population

181 people

11.2% of the people in White Sands, NM are hispanic (181 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in White Sands, NM as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
126,568 ± 8,470 people
Philippines
6,950 ± 2,043 people
Germany
4,158 ± 1,582 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of New Mexico was Mexico, the natal country of 126,568 New Mexico residents, followed by Philippines with 6,950 and Germany with 4,158.

Foreign-Born Population

7.15%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

115 people

6.21%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

98 people

As of 2024, 7.15% of White Sands, NM residents (115 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in White Sands, NM was 6.21%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
82 ± 53
Gulf War (1990s)
10 ± 18

White Sands, NM has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 8.2 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in White Sands, NM.

Economy

The economy of White Sands, NM employs 347 people. In 2024, the largest industries in White Sands, NM were Public Administration (127 people), Educational Services (65 people), and Transportation & Warehousing (30 people), and the highest paying industries were Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($89,063), Public Administration ($77,933), and Transportation & Warehousing ($69,474).

Employment

Occupations

347

2024 Value

± 132

−10.1%

1 Year decline

± 60.7%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in White Sands, NM declined at a rate of −10.1%, from 386 employees to 347 employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in White Sands, NM, are Architecture & Engineering Occupations (51 people), Personal Care & Service Occupations (44 people), and Fire Fighting & Prevention, & Other Protective Service Workers Including Supervisors (42 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of White Sands, NM.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

347

2024 Value

± 132

−10.1%

1 Year decline

± 60.7%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in White Sands, NM declined at a rate of −10.1%, from 386 employees to 347 employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in White Sands, NM, are Public Administration (127 people), Educational Services (65 people), and Transportation & Warehousing (30 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of White Sands, NM, though some of these residents may live in White Sands, NM and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$89,063

Median earning men ± $41,416

$24,737

Median earning women ± $8,405

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($115,855), Public Administration ($96,250), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($12,273).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($35,313), Public Administration ($24,179), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($19,148).

Housing & Living

People in White Sands, NM have an average commute time of 10.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in White Sands, NM is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Equity

Household Income

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

$89,565

Median Household Income

± $16,043

414

Number of Households

± 137

In 2024, the median household income of the 414 households in White Sands, NM grew to $89,565 from the previous year's value of $87,059.

The following chart displays the households in White Sands, 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 White Sands, NM is from New Mexico.

0.46

2024 Wage GINI in New Mexico

0.462

2023 Wage GINI in New Mexico

In 2024, the income inequality in New Mexico was 0.46 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.506% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for New Mexico was lower than than the national average of 0.474. 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 2024

Drove Alone (62.8%)
Walked (16.5%)
Carpooled (14.1%)

In 2024, 62.8% of workers in White Sands, NM drove alone to work, followed by those who walked to work (16.5%) and those who carpooled to work (14.1%).

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

10.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in White Sands, NM have a shorter commute time (10.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 0% of the workforce in White Sands, NM have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

1.92% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in White Sands, NM (21 out of 1.09k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Males 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in White Sands, NM is White, followed by Asian and Black.

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.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals

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

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

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