City profile · New Mexico · Census ACS 2023

Chaparral, NM

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Chaparral - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

16,642
Residents
$46,102
Median income
$101,900
Median home
$1,042
Median rent (state)

Chaparral - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Chaparral lands in the 14th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

14th
percentile, household income
10th
percentile, home value
24th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Chaparral, NM

Chaparral is a small town in New Mexico, home to 16,642 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Chaparral households earn a median of $46,102 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 25.4%. Home values in Chaparral run a median of $101,900, and the median resident age is 31.2 years. 10.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 52.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 3 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

Living costs in New Mexico run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, New Mexico scores 92.2 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,042 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $167 across New Mexico, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 31.0 minutes, with 79.9% driving alone and 5.3% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 96.1 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

16,642 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Mexico

Median Household Income

$46,102 /yr

Poverty 25.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Mexico average

How does Chaparral compare to other US cities?

Chaparral measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 14% higher than other cities
Home value 10% pricier than other cities
Median rent 24% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Chaparral against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to New Mexico only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

New Mexico-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Chaparral toward the bottom of New Mexico's cities

Among the 324 New Mexico cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Chaparral ranks #253 - the 22nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Chaparral only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#211 of 324
35th percentile in New Mexico
Median Gross Rent
#281 of 409
25th percentile in New Mexico
Median Home Value
#253 of 324
22nd percentile in New Mexico
Poverty Rate
#100 of 408
75th percentile in New Mexico
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#278 of 409
32nd percentile in New Mexico

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within New Mexico only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

14thIncome percentile

14th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Chaparral's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$101,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 90% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Chaparral $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Chaparral, NM Chaparral, NM's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Chaparral, NM-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Chaparral, NM median $46,102/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Chaparral, NM's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Chaparral, NM. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 10.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 25.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
16,642
Median Income
$46,102
Median Home Value
$101,900
Median Age
31.2
Poverty Rate
25.4%
Labor force participation
52.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
10.0%

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
31.0 minutes
Drive Alone
79.9%
Carpool
11.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
5.3%
Other
2.2%

Based on 6,406 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New Mexico - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$40
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$167
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New Mexico state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a New Mexico state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Chaparral sits in

Cost of Living Index
92.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,042/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New Mexico

Sunland Park
17,085 people
Los Lunas
17,932 people
Deming
14,735 people
Los Alamos
13,471 people
Las Vegas
13,120 people
Artesia
12,555 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Chaparral's 16,642 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Berea, SC
16,642 people
Myrtle Grove, FL
16,637 people
Glen Allen, VA
16,630 people
Beaver Dam, WI
16,629 people
Red Wing, MN
16,660 people
Youngsville, LA
16,664 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Chaparral's $46,102 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Browerville, MN
$46,100 median income
Fountain City, IN
$46,106 median income
Ferguson, MO
$46,106 median income
Saltville, VA
$46,098 median income
St. Louis, MI
$46,096 median income
Glen Allen, AL
$46,094 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Chaparral, NM Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Chaparral, NM - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 32.6% 29.4% 36.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 90.7% White 32.6% Black or African American 1.2% Asian 0.7% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 29.4% Two or more races 36.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Chaparral compares to nearby New Mexico cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Chaparral (this city) 16,642 $46,102
Sunland Park 17,085 $52,147
Los Lunas 17,932 $63,696
Deming 14,735 $35,920
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NM NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Chaparral, NM?

What is the population of Chaparral, NM? +

16,642 people live in Chaparral, NM according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Chaparral, NM? +

In Chaparral, the typical household earns $46,102 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Chaparral? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Chaparral; the closest available measure is the New Mexico state average, a cost of living index of 92.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New Mexico vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Chaparral, NM? +

Homes in Chaparral carry a median value of $101,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.