Chaves County, New Mexico
Located in New Mexico, Chaves County has a population of 64,217 residents and a median age of 37.2 years, making it the #860 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 24.3%. The median home value is $156,400, and the median household income is $52,938, which is 30% below the national median.
Demographics
Chaves County has a population of 64,217, making it the #860 most populous county in the US. The median age is 37.2 years, which is 4.4% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Chaves County is $52,938, ranking #2,605 out of 3,222 counties — 29.6% below the national median. The poverty rate is 24.3% and unemployment stands at 5.0%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Chaves County is $156,400 (-44.5% vs national). Renters pay a median of $867/mo and the homeownership rate is 71.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Chaves County, 17.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 46.9% below the national average, ranking #2,364 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Chaves County is 72.2 years. 23.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 11.0% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
17.6% of adults in Chaves County smoke , 42.0% are obese , and 16.2% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 40.4 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Chaves County is 16.6 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 25.2 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 17.9 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
25.1% of children in Chaves County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 7.9 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 33.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Chaves County is 51.2%. The mean commute time is 21.4 min, which is 22.5% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Chaves County voted Republican with a margin of 44.8%. The vote was 26.8% Dem / 71.6% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 3.4 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Chaves County, New Mexico
Chaves County, New Mexico has a total population of 64,217, making it the 860th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Chaves County is 37.2 years, which is 4.4% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Chaves County is $52,938, which ranks #2,605 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 29.6% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 24.3%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.0%.
The median home value in Chaves County is $156,400, 44.5% below the national median. Renters in Chaves County pay a median gross rent of $867 per month. The homeownership rate is 71.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Chaves County, 17.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 46.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 89.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 21.4 min.
Chaves County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is Hispanic or Latino at 58.4% of the population, followed by White (non-Hispanic) (36.1%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (1.5%).
All data for Chaves County, New Mexico comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.