Census-designated place · New Mexico
La Mesilla, New Mexico
La Mesilla, census-designated place, in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. La Mesilla had 1,844 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,697 (±432). GEOID 3538820.
Residents, 2020 Census
1,844
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 2,697 ±432
Median household income
$81,438
±$12,322 (90% margin)
New Mexico: $64,059
Median home value
$315,800
±$41,644 (90% margin)
New Mexico: $248,100
Median gross rent
$1,012
±$122 (90% margin)
New Mexico: $1,067
Where is La Mesilla and what county is it in?
La Mesilla is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. It covers 4.5 square miles of land, 414 residents per square mile in 2020.
La Mesilla is in the Española, NM micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in La Mesilla, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 1,844 residents in La Mesilla, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 2,697 (±432).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; La Mesilla is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | La Mesilla | Rio Arriba County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,697 ±432 | 40,070 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,053 ±138 | 15,647 | +239 |
| Average household size | 2.56 ±0.30 | 2.54 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,144 ±144 | 19,862 | +165 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in La Mesilla?
The median resident of La Mesilla is 45.8 years old; 22.3% are under 18 and 24.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 57.2%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 35.5%. 1.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | La Mesilla | Rio Arriba County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.8 ±9.5 | 42.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.3% ±5.8 pts | 22.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.5% ±5.3 pts | 21.8% | – |
| Male | 54.6% ±4.1 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 57.2% ±8.0 pts | 67.2% | −11.5 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 35.5% ±7.4 pts | 14.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 4.1% ±2.8 pts | 15.5% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.4% ±1.1 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±0.8 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.9% ±1.1 pts | 6.3% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 28.9% ±5.3 pts | 51.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.4% ±2.6 pts | 5.6% | – |
| With a disability | 13.2% ±3.2 pts | 15.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.0% ±1.6 pts | 8.7% | −4.1 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.3% ±3.4 pts | 87.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 38.8% ±5.8 pts | 19.0% | +10.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 16.0% ±4.7 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 96.2% ±2.2 pts | 95.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.1% ±0.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in La Mesilla earn?
Half of La Mesilla's 1,053 households earn less than $81,438 a year (±$12,322), against $57,155 in Rio Arriba County and $64,059 in New Mexico. In 2015-2019 it was $64,227 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | La Mesilla | Rio Arriba County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $81,438 ±$12,322 | $57,155 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $110,780 ±$12,946 | $76,460 | – |
| Per capita income | $45,262 ±$6,310 | $31,887 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.0% ±3.6 pts | 18.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.7% ±5.7 pts | 27.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 7.1% ±2.6 pts | 18.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 90.4% ±4.8 pts | 82.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 82.6% ±6.3 pts | 75.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in La Mesilla?
Owners occupy 87.4% of La Mesilla's occupied homes and renters 12.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $315,800 by its owner (±$41,644). The median renter pays $1,012 a month including utilities.
| Measure | La Mesilla | Rio Arriba County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $315,800 ±$41,644 | $243,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,012 ±$122 | $740 | +$242 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 8.5% ±9.3 pts | 29.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,662 ±$144 | $1,416 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 87.4% ±4.4 pts | 80.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 12.6% ±4.4 pts | 20.0% | – |
| Housing units | 1,144 ±144 | 19,862 | +165 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±4.5 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.1% ±3.2 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 65.6% ±4.4 pts | 59.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 32.3% ±4.4 pts | 35.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.2% ±1.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.5% ±5.5 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.4% ±2.1 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.6% ±0.8 pts | 3.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in La Mesilla work and get to work?
72.8% of La Mesilla's workers drive alone and 15.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 32.6 minutes.
| Measure | La Mesilla | Rio Arriba County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.0% ±5.1 pts | 53.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.9% ±1.8 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 72.8% ±6.2 pts | 77.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.9% ±4.8 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 1.8% ±1.4 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 15.1% ±3.2 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 32.6 min ±2.9 | 30.1 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in La Mesilla?
No census tract lies mostly in La Mesilla; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9408Rio Arriba County | 5,260 | $70,000 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in La Mesilla) · Census block assignment files
How does La Mesilla compare with other places in New Mexico?
La Mesilla ranks 30th of 143 places in New Mexico with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 69th | 153 |
| Residents per square mile | 80th | 155 |
| Median household income | 30th | 143 |
| Per capita income | 27th | 154 |
| Median home value | 25th | 138 |
| Median gross rent | 48th | 114 |
| Poverty rate | 103rd | 109 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28th | 128 |
| Median age | 51st | 154 |
| Owner-occupied share | 44th | 150 |
| Work from home | 35th | 78 |
| Travel time to work | 16th | 150 |
La Mesilla's figures with every place in New Mexico (CSV)
Every place in New Mexico, sortable · Compare La Mesilla with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for La Mesilla?
18 of the 57 figures for La Mesilla on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for La Mesilla are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.