Otero County, New Mexico
Located in New Mexico, Otero County has a population of 68,816 residents and a median age of 36.4 years, making it the #797 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 19.3%. The median home value is $162,700, and the median household income is $55,876, which is 26% below the national median.
Demographics
Otero County has a population of 68,816, making it the #797 most populous county in the US. The median age is 36.4 years, which is 6.4% 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 Otero County is $55,876, ranking #2,412 out of 3,222 counties — 25.6% below the national median. The poverty rate is 19.3% and unemployment stands at 7.3%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Otero County is $162,700 (-42.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $962/mo and the homeownership rate is 67.0%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Otero County, 22.7% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 32.5% below the national average, ranking #1,539 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Otero County is 74.9 years. 21.1% of adults report poor or fair health and 9.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
18.9% of adults in Otero County smoke , 38.8% are obese , and 17.8% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 26.8 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Otero County is 6.8 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 27.1 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 16.4 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
30.8% of children in Otero County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 7.3 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 33.3 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Otero County is 49.4%. The mean commute time is 23.7 min, which is 14.1% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Otero County voted Republican with a margin of 27.0%. The vote was 35.4% Dem / 62.4% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.4 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Otero County, New Mexico
Otero County, New Mexico has a total population of 68,816, making it the 797th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Otero County is 36.4 years, which is 6.4% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Otero County is $55,876, which ranks #2,412 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 25.6% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 19.3%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 7.3%.
The median home value in Otero County is $162,700, 42.3% below the national median. Renters in Otero County pay a median gross rent of $962 per month. The homeownership rate is 67.0%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Otero County, 22.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 32.5% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 89.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 23.7 min.
Otero County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 45.5% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (39.6%) and American Indian (non-Hispanic) (5.8%).
All data for Otero 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.