Quay County, New Mexico
Located in New Mexico, Quay County has a population of 8,564 residents and a median age of 48.9 years, making it the #2,605 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 27.1%. The median home value is $87,200, and the median household income is $41,946, which is 44% below the national median.
Demographics
Quay County has a population of 8,564, making it the #2,605 most populous county in the US. The median age is 48.9 years, which is 25.7% above 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 Quay County is $41,946, ranking #3,031 out of 3,222 counties — 44.2% below the national median. The poverty rate is 27.1% and unemployment stands at 7.4%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Quay County is $87,200 (-69.1% vs national). Renters pay a median of $712/mo and the homeownership rate is 71.6%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Quay County, 19.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 41.9% below the national average, ranking #2,078 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Quay County is 70.3 years. 23.6% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.2% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
19.6% of adults in Quay County smoke , 36.0% are obese , and 16.9% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 47.3 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Quay County is 17.1 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 40.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 18.6 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
32.7% of children in Quay County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 30.2 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Quay County is 61.5%. The mean commute time is 13.5 min, which is 50.9% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Quay County voted Republican with a margin of 40.9%. The vote was 28.5% Dem / 69.4% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 3.1 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Quay County, New Mexico
Quay County, New Mexico has a total population of 8,564, making it the 2,605th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Quay County is 48.9 years, which is 25.7% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Quay County is $41,946, which ranks #3,031 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 44.2% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 27.1%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 7.4%.
The median home value in Quay County is $87,200, 69.1% below the national median. Renters in Quay County pay a median gross rent of $712 per month. The homeownership rate is 71.6%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Quay County, 19.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 41.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.0% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 13.5 min.
Quay County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 47.9% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (44.9%) and Two or More Races (6.3%).
All data for Quay 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.