Lea County, New Mexico Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 7th-largest in New Mexico

The population of Lea County, New Mexico is 73,154 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 7th-largest county in New Mexico. The median household income is $68,750, the median home value is $176,000, and the median age is 32.5.

The population of Lea County has grown 16.3% since 2010 (64,598 → 75,151), a +1.09% annualized rate.

Lea County within New Mexico · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

73,154

Population

+1.09%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$68,750

Median Income

$176,000

Median Home Value

Lea County covers 4,392 sq mi of land at 16.7 people per square mile.

About Lea County, NM

Lea County is a county in New Mexico with a population of 73,154. It ranks #7 among counties in New Mexico by population. The median age is 32.5, younger than the national median. The population is 51.9% male and 48.1% female.

The median household income in Lea County is $68,750, below the US median of $74,580. 15.3% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $176,000, with monthly rent averaging $1,119. The homeownership rate of 69.5% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Lea County reflects 15.3% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 3.7% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 25.2 minutes each way.

Lea County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Lea County had a population of 64,598 in 2010 and 75,151 in 2024, a 16.3% growth over 14 years. The peak was 75,151 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 1.11%.

75,151

Population (2024)

64,598

Population (2010)

75,151

Peak (2024)

1.11%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	64,598	-	-	estimate
2011	65,135	+537	+0.83%	estimate
2012	66,374	+1,239	+1.90%	estimate
2013	68,631	+2,257	+3.40%	estimate
2014	70,178	+1,547	+2.25%	estimate
2015	71,480	+1,302	+1.86%	estimate
2016	70,275	-1,205	-1.69%	estimate
2017	69,031	-1,244	-1.77%	estimate
2018	69,538	+507	+0.73%	estimate
2019	71,123	+1,585	+2.28%	estimate
2020	74,643	+3,520	+4.95%	estimate
2021	73,070	-1,573	-2.11%	estimate
2022	72,300	-770	-1.05%	estimate
2023	73,503	+1,203	+1.66%	estimate
2024	75,151	+1,648	+2.24%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	52.3%
Black or African American	4.0%
Asian	0.2%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.6%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

32.5

Median Age

48.1%

Female

51.9%

Male

11.2%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

8.0%

5–9

8.6%

10–14

8.1%

15–19

8.1%

20–24

7.4%

25–34

13.9%

35–44

13.4%

45–54

10.8%

55–59

4.9%

60–64

5.5%

65–74

7.0%

75–84

2.9%

85+

1.3%

Children (under 15): 24.7% · Seniors (65+): 11.2%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$68,750+$6,625 vs state
Mean household income	$92,292
Per-capita income	$31,554
Poverty rate	15.3%+1.6% vs state
Unemployment rate	4.3%
Employment-to-population	57.3%

Top Industries by Employment

Agriculture

17.9%

Professional & business services

16.7%

Retail trade

10.5%

Construction

9.4%

Education & health care

7.8%

Finance & real estate

7.7%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.7%

Public administration

3.7%

The largest employment sector in Lea County is agriculture, accounting for 17.9% of workers.

How residents commute

0.2%

Drive alone

0.9%

Carpool

77.4%

Public transit

3.7%

Work from home

25.2 min

Avg commute

Housing

$176,000$-56,200 vs state

Median home value

$1,119

Median rent

69.5%

Homeownership rate

28,125

Total housing units

87.4%

Occupied

12.6%

Vacant

30.5%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

85.7%

With health insurance

93.0%

With broadband internet

37.7%

Foreign-born

3.7%

Veterans (18+)

12.6%

With a disability

56.1%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

75.6%

High School+

15.3%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in New Mexico

Albuquerque (562,488)Las Cruces (112,612)Rio Rancho (106,533)Santa Fe (88,224)Roswell (47,823)Farmington (46,339)Hobbs (39,887)Clovis (38,153)South Valley (36,605)Carlsbad (31,813)All New Mexico cities →

Other counties in New Mexico

Bernalillo County (674,357)Doña Ana County (221,665)Santa Fe County (155,175)Sandoval County (151,538)San Juan County (121,178)Valencia County (77,382)McKinley County (71,172)Otero County (68,235)Chaves County (64,446)Eddy County (61,114)All New Mexico counties →

Part of New Mexico

New Mexico demographic profile All New Mexico data →

Metro areas in New Mexico

Albuquerque (918,567)Las Cruces (221,665)Santa Fe (155,175)Farmington (121,178)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Lea County, New Mexico has a population of 73,154 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 7th-largest county in New Mexico. Population density is 17 people per square mile.

The population of Lea County has grown 16.3% since 2010 (64,598 → 75,151), a +1.09% annualized rate.

The median household income in Lea County, New Mexico is $68,750, with mean (average) household income of $92,292 and per-capita income of $31,554. 15.3% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Lea County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (52.3%), Black or African American (4.0%), Hispanic or Latino (1.6%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Lea County, New Mexico is 32.5 years. Residents are 48.1% female and 51.9% male.

The median home value in Lea County is $176,000 and median monthly rent is $1,119. 69.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 28,125 total housing units, 12.6% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Lea County, New Mexico is agriculture, forestry, fishing, and mining, employing 17.9% of workers. The unemployment rate is 4.3%.

Albuquerque is among the largest cities associated with Lea County, New Mexico, with a population of 562,488.