City profile · New Mexico · Census ACS 2023

Hobbs, NM

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

39,887
Residents
$65,691
Median income
$180,700
Median home
$1,324
Median rent (state)

Hobbs - the verdict

Hobbs ranks in the 44th percentile for household income and the 5th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

44th
percentile, household income
37th
percentile, home value
48th
percentile, median rent
5th
percentile, safety
📝 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: Hobbs, NM

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 39,887 residents in Hobbs, a small city within New Mexico. Hobbs households earn a median of $65,691 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 16.2%. Typical homes in Hobbs are valued around $180,700, and the median resident age is 31.7 years. Educational attainment runs 16.6% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 58.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 172 residential building permits were authorized in Hobbs (Growing), up 5% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Hobbs's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 4541.7 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 62.2°F with 13.8 inches of precipitation per year and 1.8 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in New Mexico run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts New Mexico at 92.2 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,324 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts New Mexico's average monthly utility costs around $167 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 86.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

39,887 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Mexico

Median Household Income

$65,691 /yr

Poverty 16.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Mexico average

How does Hobbs compare to other US cities?

Here's how Hobbs stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 44% higher than other cities
Home value 37% pricier than other cities
Median rent 48% pricier than other cities
Safety 5% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at New Mexico, Hobbs ranks #36 of 42 New Mexico cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Hobbs's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in New Mexico, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

44thIncome percentile
5thSafety percentile

44th percentile nationally for median household income · 5th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Hobbs's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Hobbs's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 36 Avg. percentile National median
Hobbs's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Hobbs's home value compares nationally

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

$180,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 63% 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%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Hobbs $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 - Hobbs, NM Hobbs, NM's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Hobbs, 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 Hobbs, NM median $65,691/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%
Hobbs, 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 Hobbs, NM. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 16.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 16.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.8%

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

Population
39,887
Median Income
$65,691
Median Home Value
$180,700
Median Age
31.7
Poverty Rate
16.2%
Labor force participation
58.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
16.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4541.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
790.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3751.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
62.2°F
Annual Precipitation
13.8"
Annual Snowfall
1.8"

Schools

Total Schools
19
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
39,000 residents39,500 residents40,000 residents40,500 residents41,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 40,654 residents 40,863 residents ▲ +0.5%
Hobbs's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
172
housing units authorized
Single-Family
172
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 164
2020 147
2021 211
2022 129
2023 186
2024 172

Permit volume increased 5% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.6%
Carpool
16.9%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
2.2%
Other
0.6%

Based on 17,054 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 Hobbs sits in

Cost of Living Index
92.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,324/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
86.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New Mexico

Clovis
38,153 people
South Valley
36,605 people
Farmington
46,339 people
Roswell
47,823 people
Carlsbad
31,813 people
Alamogordo
31,063 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Hobbs's 39,887 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Wausau, WI
39,893 people
Duncanville, TX
39,879 people
Waipahu, HI
39,871 people
Hurst, TX
39,912 people
Hutchinson, KS
39,837 people
DeLand, FL
39,832 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Hobbs's $65,691 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Manila, AR
$65,691 median income
Loyalton, CA
$65,694 median income
Halaula, HI
$65,694 median income
Minneapolis, KS
$65,694 median income
Fallon, NV
$65,699 median income
Roachester, OH
$65,682 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Hobbs, 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 Hobbs, NM - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 48.7% 11.8% 31.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 61.9% White 48.7% Black or African American 5.9% Asian 0.9% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 11.8% Two or more races 31.5% 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 Hobbs 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
Hobbs (this city) 39,887 $65,691
Clovis 38,153 $54,029
South Valley 36,605 $51,062
Farmington 46,339 $63,745
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NM FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Hobbs, NM?

What is the population of Hobbs, NM? +

The population of Hobbs, NM stands at 39,887 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Hobbs runs $65,691, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Hobbs? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Hobbs; 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.

Is Hobbs, NM safe? +

Hobbs has a total crime rate of 4541.7 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

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

A typical home in Hobbs is worth $180,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Hobbs? +

Climate normals put Hobbs's yearly average temperature at 62.2°F, 13.8 inches of precipitation, and 1.8 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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 Editorial

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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.