City profile · New Mexico · Census ACS 2023

Las Cruces, NM

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

112,612
Residents
$55,176
Median income
$217,400
Median home
$1,042
Median rent (state)

Las Cruces - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Las Cruces lands in the 28th percentile for household income and the 3rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

28th
percentile, household income
48th
percentile, home value
24th
percentile, median rent
3rd
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: Las Cruces, NM

Las Cruces is a mid-sized U.S. city in New Mexico, home to 112,612 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Las Cruces households earn a median of $55,176 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 17.1%. Home values in Las Cruces run a median of $217,400, and the median resident age is 32.7 years. Educational attainment runs 37.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 54.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 745 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Growing), up 9% from five years earlier. Las Cruces's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 5593.4 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Las Cruces's yearly average temperature at 59.3°F with 10.3 inches of precipitation per year.

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). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,042 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in New Mexico run around $167, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Las Cruces workers runs 16.9 minutes, with 74.7% driving alone and 9.9% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 96.1 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

112,612 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Mexico

Median Household Income

$55,176 /yr

Poverty 17.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Mexico average

How does Las Cruces compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 28% higher than other cities
Home value 48% pricier than other cities
Median rent 24% pricier than other cities
Safety 3% 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, Las Cruces ranks #39 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

Each percentile compares Las Cruces 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

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Las Cruces toward the top of New Mexico's cities

Among the 409 New Mexico cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Las Cruces ranks #72 - the 82nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Las Cruces only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#165 of 324
49th percentile in New Mexico
Median Gross Rent
#281 of 409
25th percentile in New Mexico
Median Home Value
#124 of 324
62nd percentile in New Mexico
Poverty Rate
#165 of 408
59th percentile in New Mexico
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#72 of 409
82nd 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.

28thIncome percentile
3rdSafety percentile

28th percentile nationally for median household income · 3rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Las Cruces's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Las Cruces'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 32 Avg. percentile National median
Las Cruces'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 Las Cruces's home value compares nationally

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

$217,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 52% 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%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Las Cruces $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 - Las Cruces, NM Las Cruces, NM's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Las Cruces, 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 Las Cruces, NM median $55,176/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%
Las Cruces, 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 Las Cruces, NM. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 37.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 17.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.8%

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

Population
112,612
Median Income
$55,176
Median Home Value
$217,400
Median Age
32.7
Poverty Rate
17.1%
Labor force participation
54.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
37.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
5593.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
720.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4873.4
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
59.3°F
Annual Precipitation
10.3"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
45
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
110,000 residents112,000 residents114,000 residents116,000 residents118,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 111,713 residents 116,978 residents ▲ +4.7%
Las Cruces's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
745
housing units authorized
Single-Family
615
detached homes
Multifamily
130
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 686
2020 813
2021 862
2022 711
2023 573
2024 745

Permit volume increased 9% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.9 minutes
Drive Alone
74.7%
Carpool
10.7%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
9.9%
Other
3.0%

Based on 49,158 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 Las Cruces 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

Rio Rancho
106,533 people
Santa Fe
88,224 people
Roswell
47,823 people
Farmington
46,339 people
Hobbs
39,887 people
Clovis
38,153 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Las Cruces's 112,612 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Lansing, MI
112,546 people
Gresham, OR
112,818 people
Pompano Beach, FL
112,212 people
Peoria, IL
112,126 people
Downey, CA
111,793 people
Murrieta, CA
111,621 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Las Cruces's $55,176 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lakeville, IN
$55,179 median income
Cairo, NE
$55,179 median income
Saybrook-on-the-Lake, OH
$55,179 median income
Rose Lodge, OR
$55,179 median income
Eureka, IL
$55,172 median income
Hoopeston, IL
$55,180 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Las Cruces, 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 Las Cruces, NM - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 54.1% 16.2% 23.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 59.4% White 54.1% Black or African American 2.6% Asian 1.9% American Indian 1.4% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 16.2% Two or more races 23.4% 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 Las Cruces 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
Las Cruces (this city) 112,612 $55,176
Rio Rancho 106,533 $85,755
Santa Fe 88,224 $70,110
Roswell 47,823 $50,294
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NM FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Las Cruces, NM?

What is the population of Las Cruces, NM? +

The population of Las Cruces, NM stands at 112,612 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Las Cruces, NM? +

Median annual household income in Las Cruces runs $55,176, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Las Cruces? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Las Cruces; 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 Las Cruces, NM safe? +

Las Cruces has a total crime rate of 5593.4 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 Las Cruces, NM? +

The median home value in Las Cruces is $217,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Las Cruces? +

Climate normals put Las Cruces's yearly average temperature at 59.3°F, 10.3 inches of precipitation. 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

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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.