Lea County, New Mexico
Located in New Mexico, Lea County has a population of 73,733 residents and a median age of 32.5 years, making it the #761 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 18.7%. The median home value is $184,000, and the median household income is $68,015, which is 9% below the national median.
Demographics
Lea County has a population of 73,733, making it the #761 most populous county in the US. The median age is 32.5 years, which is 16.5% 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 Lea County is $68,015, ranking #1,341 out of 3,222 counties — 9.5% below the national median. The poverty rate is 18.7% and unemployment stands at 6.9%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Lea County is $184,000 (-34.7% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,101/mo and the homeownership rate is 71.2%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Lea County, 15.5% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 53.9% below the national average, ranking #2,735 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Lea County is 72.6 years. 24.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 13.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
18.1% of adults in Lea County smoke , 35.5% are obese , and 17.0% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 29.9 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Lea County is 11.1 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 20.0 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 24.8 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
20.0% of children in Lea County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.1 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 42.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Lea County is 50.6%. The mean commute time is 25.8 min, which is 6.4% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Lea County voted Republican with a margin of 61.6%. The vote was 18.5% Dem / 80.1% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.0 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Lea County, New Mexico
Lea County, New Mexico has a total population of 73,733, making it the 761st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Lea County is 32.5 years, which is 16.5% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Lea County is $68,015, which ranks #1,341 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 9.5% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 18.7%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 6.9%.
The median home value in Lea County is $184,000, 34.7% below the national median. Renters in Lea County pay a median gross rent of $1,101 per month. The homeownership rate is 71.2%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Lea County, 15.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 53.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 85.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 25.8 min.
Lea County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is Hispanic or Latino at 62.7% of the population, followed by White (non-Hispanic) (31.0%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (3.1%).
All data for Lea 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.