Sierra County, New Mexico
Located in New Mexico, Sierra County has a population of 11,500 residents and a median age of 57.6 years, making it the #2,388 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 21.4%. The median home value is $152,600, and the median household income is $41,600, which is 45% below the national median.
Demographics
Sierra County has a population of 11,500, making it the #2,388 most populous county in the US. The median age is 57.6 years, which is 48.1% 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 Sierra County is $41,600, ranking #3,047 out of 3,222 counties — 44.6% below the national median. The poverty rate is 21.4% and unemployment stands at 4.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Sierra County is $152,600 (-45.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $729/mo and the homeownership rate is 71.8%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Sierra County, 17.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 49.5% below the national average, ranking #2,488 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Sierra County is 69.6 years. 21.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 9.1% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
19.6% of adults in Sierra County smoke , 33.7% are obese , and 17.6% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 68.0 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 51.0 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 25.7 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
35.4% of children in Sierra County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 34.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Sierra County is 66.0%. The mean commute time is 17.1 min, which is 37.9% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Sierra County voted Republican with a margin of 19.1%. The vote was 39.2% Dem / 58.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted +2.4 toward Democrats .
Vote Share Over Time
About Sierra County, New Mexico
Sierra County, New Mexico has a total population of 11,500, making it the 2,388th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Sierra County is 57.6 years, which is 48.1% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Sierra County is $41,600, which ranks #3,047 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 44.6% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 21.4%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.2%.
The median home value in Sierra County is $152,600, 45.9% below the national median. Renters in Sierra County pay a median gross rent of $729 per month. The homeownership rate is 71.8%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Sierra County, 17.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 49.5% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 17.1 min.
Sierra County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 63.1% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (29.8%) and Two or More Races (6.6%).
All data for Sierra 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.