Lowest-earning counties in New Mexico
Americans on the whole were doing well financially heading into 2020, with major markers like unemployment reaching 50-year lows. The pandemic changed all that: During the second quarter of the 2020 fiscal year, our nation’s real GDP fell by a whopping 31.4%, a number that hasn’t been seen since the Great Depression. As the economy makes its comeback, things are still a far cry from the way they were in 2019.
One marker that has sped far past its 2019 position is that of income inequality in the United States. Low-wage industries were decimated by the pandemic, leaving millions without work or in positions they were overqualified for. Meanwhile, nearly one in five households across the United States earn less than $25,000 a year, while more than 6% have an annual income that falls below $10,000.
Where you live can make a big impact on your financial situation. Stacker compiled a list of the lowest-earning counties in New Mexico using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the Census’ 2019 5-year estimate median household income. Keep reading to see where people in your state are making the least.
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#33. Los Alamos County
- Median household income: $121,324
--- 143.8% above state median, 93.1% above national median
- Households earning over $100k: 61.2%
--- #3 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 5.0%
--- #3,036 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#32. Eddy County
- Median household income: $65,328
--- 31.3% above state median, 4.0% above national median
- Households earning over $100k: 28.4%
--- #491 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.8%
--- #2,090 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#31. Sandoval County
- Median household income: $63,802
--- 28.2% above state median, 1.5% above national median
- Households earning over $100k: 25.9%
--- #669 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.1%
--- #2,318 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#30. Santa Fe County
- Median household income: $61,200
--- 23.0% above state median, 2.6% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 28.6%
--- #479 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.0%
--- #2,044 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#29. Lea County
- Median household income: $60,546
--- 21.7% above state median, 3.7% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 23.5%
--- #887 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.9%
--- #1,504 highest rate among all counties nationwide
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#28. Bernalillo County
- Median household income: $53,329
--- 7.2% above state median, 15.1% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 23.2%
--- #930 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.0%
--- #1,197 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#27. San Juan County
- Median household income: $50,518
--- 1.5% above state median, 19.6% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 18.6%
--- #1,645 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.8%
--- #1,010 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#26. Valencia County
- Median household income: $48,945
--- 1.6% below state median, 22.1% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 17.2%
--- #1,919 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.1%
--- #1,171 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#25. Lincoln County
- Median household income: $46,216
--- 7.1% below state median, 26.5% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 19.4%
--- #1,481 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.8%
--- #1,811 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#24. Curry County
- Median household income: $45,092
--- 9.4% below state median, 28.2% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 14.7%
--- #2,371 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.1%
--- #959 highest rate among all counties nationwide
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#23. Chaves County
- Median household income: $43,359
--- 12.9% below state median, 31.0% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 14.8%
--- #2,352 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.9%
--- #805 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#22. Roosevelt County
- Median household income: $42,702
--- 14.2% below state median, 32.0% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 14.5%
--- #2,416 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 17.3%
--- #491 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#21. Hidalgo County
- Median household income: $42,526
--- 14.5% below state median, 32.3% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 12.2%
--- #2,758 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 22.2%
--- #163 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#20. Socorro County
- Median household income: $42,083
--- 15.4% below state median, 33.0% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 15.7%
--- #2,191 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 19.4%
--- #300 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#19. Otero County
- Median household income: $41,988
--- 15.6% below state median, 33.2% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 14.2%
--- #2,450 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 15.2%
--- #753 highest rate among all counties nationwide
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#18. Catron County
- Median household income: $41,910
--- 15.8% below state median, 33.3% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 6.6%
--- #3,121 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.6%
--- #1,865 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#17. Dona Ana County
- Median household income: $40,973
--- 17.6% below state median, 34.8% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 16.9%
--- #1,976 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 17.5%
--- #468 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#16. Rio Arriba County
- Median household income: $39,952
--- 19.7% below state median, 36.4% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 15.9%
--- #2,152 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 21.3%
--- #196 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#15. Cibola County
- Median household income: $39,413
--- 20.8% below state median, 37.3% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 13.1%
--- #2,626 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 20.5%
--- #244 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#14. Taos County
- Median household income: $38,329
--- 23.0% below state median, 39.0% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 15.7%
--- #2,194 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 17.9%
--- #430 highest rate among all counties nationwide
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#13. Grant County
- Median household income: $37,843
--- 23.9% below state median, 39.8% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 13.3%
--- #2,603 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 18.0%
--- #420 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#12. Colfax County
- Median household income: $36,302
--- 27.0% below state median, 42.2% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 14.0%
--- #2,487 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 16.8%
--- #558 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#11. Torrance County
- Median household income: $36,120
--- 27.4% below state median, 42.5% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 12.2%
--- #2,758 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 16.6%
--- #580 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#10. Union County
- Median household income: $35,884
--- 27.9% below state median, 42.9% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 12.1%
--- #2,771 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.5%
--- #878 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#9. McKinley County
- Median household income: $33,834
--- 32.0% below state median, 46.2% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 13.2%
--- #2,605 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 25.4%
--- #68 highest rate among all counties nationwide
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#8. De Baca County
- Median household income: $31,625
--- 36.4% below state median, 49.7% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 18.0%
--- #1,748 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 18.1%
--- #409 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#7. San Miguel County
- Median household income: $30,946
--- 37.8% below state median, 50.8% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 10.5%
--- #2,955 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 27.4%
--- #45 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#6. Sierra County
- Median household income: $29,755
--- 40.2% below state median, 52.7% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 9.5%
--- #3,026 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 23.6%
--- #117 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#5. Harding County
- Median household income: $29,375
--- 41.0% below state median, 53.3% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 16.6%
--- #2,019 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.8%
--- #1,010 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#4. Luna County
- Median household income: $29,360
--- 41.0% below state median, 53.3% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 8.4%
--- #3,079 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 24.7%
--- #87 highest rate among all counties nationwide
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#3. Quay County
- Median household income: $29,035
--- 41.6% below state median, 53.8% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 13.6%
--- #2,564 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.5%
--- #1,315 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#2. Mora County
- Median household income: $28,446
--- 42.8% below state median, 54.7% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 8.3%
--- #3,081 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 24.9%
--- #80 highest rate among all counties nationwide
#1. Guadalupe County
- Median household income: $24,798
--- 50.2% below state median, 60.5% below national median
- Households earning over $100k: 6.9%
--- #3,117 highest rate among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 20.6%
--- #238 highest rate among all counties nationwide
