Census-designated place · New Mexico

Los Alamos, New Mexico

Los Alamos, census-designated place, in Los Alamos County, New Mexico. Los Alamos had 13,317 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±655). GEOID 3542320.

Residents, 2020-2024

13,317

±655 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 13,179

Median household income

$141,018

±$16,536 (90% margin)
New Mexico: $64,059

Median home value

$501,800

±$36,774 (90% margin)
New Mexico: $248,100

Median gross rent

$1,359

±$133 (90% margin)
New Mexico: $1,067

Where is Los Alamos and what county is it in?

Los Alamos is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Los Alamos County, New Mexico. It covers 11.1 square miles of land, 1,186 residents per square mile in 2020.

Los Alamos is in the Los Alamos, NM micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).

Los Alamos (marked with a dot) in Los Alamos County, New Mexico. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in Los Alamos, and is it growing?

The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Los Alamos's population at 13,317 (±655). The 2020 Census counted 13,179 residents.

The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Los Alamos is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.

ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
Measure Los AlamosLos Alamos CountyNew Mexico Change since 2015-2019
Total population 13,317 ±655 19,435 2,120,246 no clear change
Households 5,975 ±278 8,247 837,414 +417
Average household size 2.21 ±0.08 2.35 2.48 no clear change
Housing units 6,190 ±242 8,713 956,964 +322

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 Los Alamos?

The median resident of Los Alamos is 38.8 years old; 20.2% are under 18 and 17.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 69.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 17.9%. 11.5% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure Los AlamosLos Alamos CountyNew Mexico Change since 2015-2019
Median age 38.8 ±1.1 39.3 39.4 no clear change
Under 18 years 20.2% ±1.5 pts 22.0% 21.7% –
65 years and over 17.4% ±1.7 pts 18.4% 19.3% –
Male 53.6% ±1.6 pts 51.9% 49.7% –
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 17.9% ±2.0 pts 18.0% 48.4% no clear change
White alone, not Hispanic 69.5% ±2.3 pts 69.8% 36.0% no clear change
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic 0.8% ±1.0 pts 0.9% 1.8% –
Asian alone, not Hispanic 6.3% ±1.3 pts 4.9% 1.6% no clear change
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic 0.5% ±0.4 pts 0.6% 8.5% –
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic 0.1% ±0.2 pts 0.1% 0.1% –
Two or more races, not Hispanic 4.4% ±1.5 pts 5.3% 3.1% –
Some other race alone, not Hispanic 0.5% ±0.5 pts 0.4% 0.5% –
Born outside the United States 11.5% ±2.1 pts 9.4% 9.4% no clear change
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) 18.3% ±3.3 pts 14.6% 31.3% –
Civilian veterans (age 18+) 6.0% ±1.7 pts 7.3% 7.9% –
With a disability 9.8% ±2.1 pts 10.6% 17.0% –
No health insurance coverage 3.4% ±1.5 pts 2.5% 9.6% no clear change
High school graduate or higher (age 25+) 97.6% ±1.1 pts 98.3% 88.0% –
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) 69.8% ±3.9 pts 69.7% 31.0% no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) 46.5% ±4.0 pts 44.2% 13.9% –
Lived in the same house a year earlier 85.5% ±3.1 pts 86.1% 88.1% –
Moved from another state in the past year 7.4% ±2.3 pts 6.4% 3.0% –

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 Los Alamos earn?

Half of Los Alamos's 5,975 households earn less than $141,018 a year (±$16,536), against $147,139 in Los Alamos County and $64,059 in New Mexico. In 2015-2019 it was $142,903 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 4.1% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
Measure Los AlamosLos Alamos CountyNew Mexico Change since 2015-2019
Median household income $141,018 ±$16,536 $147,139 $64,059 no clear change
Mean household income $164,414 ±$14,035 $170,885 $88,155 –
Per capita income $76,146 ±$5,978 $74,704 $36,218 no clear change
People below the poverty line 4.1% ±1.8 pts 3.5% 17.8% no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line 6.0% ±4.4 pts 5.2% 24.0% –
Households receiving SNAP 4.8% ±2.3 pts 4.2% 19.2% –
Households with a computer 98.4% ±1.3 pts 98.1% 93.7% –
Households with a broadband subscription 94.5% ±2.1 pts 93.4% 86.5% –

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 Los Alamos?

Owners occupy 66.5% of Los Alamos's occupied homes and renters 33.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $501,800 by its owner (±$36,774). The median renter pays $1,359 a month including utilities, and 18.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
Measure Los AlamosLos Alamos CountyNew Mexico Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied) $501,800 ±$36,774 $495,800 $248,100 +$122,623
Median gross rent $1,359 ±$133 $1,375 $1,067 no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent 18.8% ±7.3 pts 18.2% 41.7% no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage $2,274 ±$231 $2,315 $1,564 –
Owner-occupied homes 66.5% ±4.6 pts 74.8% 70.0% no clear change
Renter-occupied homes 33.5% ±4.6 pts 25.2% 30.0% –
Housing units 6,190 ±242 8,713 956,964 +322
Homeowner vacancy rate 0.1% ±0.3 pts 0.8% 1.0% –
Rental vacancy rate 1.1% ±1.9 pts 1.1% 5.9% –
Single-family detached homes 51.3% ±3.8 pts 62.3% 64.5% –
Mobile homes 4.2% ±1.9 pts 5.1% 15.5% –
Built 2020 or later 1.8% ±1.0 pts 3.8% 1.4% –
Built 2010 to 2019 5.4% ±2.2 pts 4.3% 8.4% –
Built 1939 or earlier 0.0% ±0.7 pts 0.1% 4.4% –
Households with no vehicle 2.8% ±1.7 pts 2.2% 5.6% –

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 Los Alamos work and get to work?

70.5% of Los Alamos's workers drive alone and 16.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 12.4 minutes.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
Measure Los AlamosLos Alamos CountyNew Mexico Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+) 68.6% ±2.8 pts 67.8% 57.8% –
Unemployment rate 0.8% ±0.6 pts 0.6% 6.0% –
Drove alone to work 70.5% ±4.8 pts 71.8% 73.6% –
Carpooled 5.6% ±2.4 pts 7.2% 9.9% –
Public transportation 1.4% ±1.1 pts 1.2% 0.6% –
Walked 3.2% ±1.7 pts 2.2% 1.9% –
Worked from home 16.8% ±3.8 pts 15.6% 12.2% +12.1 pts
Mean travel time to work 12.4 min ±0.9 14.7 min 23.5 min −2.7 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 Los Alamos?

3 census tracts lie mostly in Los Alamos (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $104,028 (Tract 4) to $161,867 (Tract 2).

Census tracts in Los Alamos, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Los Alamos
Tract 2Los Alamos County5,314 $161,867 $534,90081%
Tract 1Los Alamos County4,059 $155,556 $562,00084%
Tract 4Los Alamos County4,346 $104,028 $363,80072%

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 Los Alamos) · Census block assignment files

How does Los Alamos compare with other places in New Mexico?

Los Alamos ranks 6th of 143 places in New Mexico with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

Los Alamos's rank in New Mexico (1 = highest): by population among the state's incorporated places with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population (ACS 2020-2024)17th153
Residents per square mile27th155
Median household income6th143
Per capita income6th154
Median home value13th138
Median gross rent13th114
Poverty rate109th109
Bachelor's degree or higher6th128
Median age83rd154
Owner-occupied share116th150
Work from home29th78
Travel time to work139th150

Los Alamos's figures with every place in New Mexico (CSV)

Every place in New Mexico, sortable · Compare Los Alamos 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 Los Alamos?

10 of the 57 figures for Los Alamos 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 Los Alamos 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.