Census-designated place · New Mexico
La Plata, New Mexico
La Plata, census-designated place, in San Juan County, New Mexico. La Plata had 2,105 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,233 (±372). GEOID 3539030.
Residents, 2020 Census
2,105
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 2,233 ±372
Median household income
$57,071
±$15,336 (90% margin)
New Mexico: $64,059
Median home value
$210,000
±$36,986 (90% margin)
New Mexico: $248,100
Median gross rent
$938
±$609 (90% margin)
New Mexico: $1,067
Where is La Plata and what county is it in?
La Plata is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in San Juan County, New Mexico. It covers 22.2 square miles of land, 95 residents per square mile in 2020.
La Plata is in the Farmington, NM metropolitan 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 Plata, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 2,105 residents in La Plata, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 2,233 (±372).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; La Plata is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | La Plata | San Juan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,233 ±372 | 120,942 | +1,730 |
| Households | 814 ±150 | 41,732 | +614 |
| Average household size | 2.74 ±0.47 | 2.86 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 908 ±154 | 48,255 | +665 |
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 Plata?
The median resident of La Plata is 45.3 years old; 19.0% are under 18 and 25.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 55.0%, then non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 21.0%.
| Measure | La Plata | San Juan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.3 ±5.5 | 38.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.0% ±4.4 pts | 24.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 25.6% ±6.9 pts | 16.9% | – |
| Male | 44.3% ±5.6 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 15.6% ±8.2 pts | 19.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 55.0% ±12.5 pts | 36.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.9% ±3.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 21.0% ±15.3 pts | 38.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.5% ±4.8 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.0% ±5.2 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 19.5% ±9.4 pts | 27.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.3% ±5.4 pts | 6.2% | – |
| With a disability | 20.1% ±7.2 pts | 16.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 12.7% ±7.0 pts | 12.9% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 83.3% ±8.4 pts | 86.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 15.4% ±6.8 pts | 18.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.9% ±4.7 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 82.4% ±14.1 pts | 89.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.0% ±4.2 pts | 2.5% | – |
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 Plata earn?
Half of La Plata's 814 households earn less than $57,071 a year (±$15,336), against $55,872 in San Juan County and $64,059 in New Mexico. In 2015-2019 it was $84,492 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 35.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | La Plata | San Juan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $57,071 ±$15,336 | $55,872 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $74,204 ±$23,619 | $76,826 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,741 ±$8,454 | $28,099 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 35.7% ±12.3 pts | 23.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 47.6% ±17.3 pts | 30.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 23.5% ±11.5 pts | 23.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.3% ±1.7 pts | 91.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 75.8% ±15.1 pts | 72.4% | – |
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 Plata?
Owners occupy 82.9% of La Plata's occupied homes and renters 17.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $210,000 by its owner (±$36,986). The median renter pays $938 a month including utilities.
| Measure | La Plata | San Juan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $210,000 ±$36,986 | $193,800 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $938 ±$609 | $956 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 23.3% ±40.6 pts | 35.2% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,317 ±$136 | $1,499 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.9% ±8.2 pts | 71.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 17.1% ±8.2 pts | 28.8% | – |
| Housing units | 908 ±154 | 48,255 | +665 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±6.1 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±25.9 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 48.7% ±11.7 pts | 56.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 50.3% ±12.0 pts | 30.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.6% ±1.1 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.7% ±4.0 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.4% ±7.1 pts | 6.7% | – |
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 Plata work and get to work?
81.5% of La Plata's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 23.5 minutes.
| Measure | La Plata | San Juan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 39.3% ±9.6 pts | 53.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 8.5% ±8.5 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.5% ±9.9 pts | 83.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 15.1% ±9.6 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±6.4 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.4% ±3.1 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.5 min ±2.9 | 24.2 min | −14.2 min |
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 Plata?
No census tract lies mostly in La Plata; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9433San Juan County | 2,160 | $58,750 |
| Tract 5.03San Juan County | 3,474 | $56,713 |
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 Plata) · Census block assignment files
How does La Plata compare with other places in New Mexico?
La Plata ranks 67th 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) | 84th | 153 |
| Residents per square mile | 145th | 155 |
| Median household income | 67th | 143 |
| Per capita income | 84th | 154 |
| Median home value | 66th | 138 |
| Median gross rent | 56th | 114 |
| Poverty rate | 11th | 109 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 94th | 128 |
| Median age | 52nd | 154 |
| Owner-occupied share | 60th | 150 |
| Travel time to work | 77th | 150 |
La Plata's figures with every place in New Mexico (CSV)
Every place in New Mexico, sortable · Compare La Plata 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 Plata?
19 of the 57 figures for La Plata 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 Plata 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.