City profile · New Mexico · Census ACS 2023

Silver City, NM

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

9,574
Residents
$39,025
Median income
$160,900
Median home
$1,048
Median rent (state)

Silver City - the verdict

Nationally, Silver City sits in the 7th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

7th
percentile, household income
30th
percentile, home value
24th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Silver City, NM

New Mexico's Silver City is a small town, with 9,574 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Silver City brings in $39,025 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 14.9%. Home values in Silver City run a median of $160,900, and the median resident age is 40.2 years. Educational attainment runs 32.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 45.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier.

Living costs in New Mexico run below the national norm: the state registers 92.2 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,048 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in New Mexico run around $167, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 74.1 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

9,574 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Mexico

Median Household Income

$39,025 /yr

Poverty 14.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Mexico average

How does Silver City compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 7% higher than other cities
Home value 30% pricier than other cities
Median rent 24% pricier than other cities

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

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 Silver City'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.

7thIncome percentile

7th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Silver City's home value compares nationally

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

$160,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 70% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Silver City $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 - Silver City, NM Silver City, NM's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Silver City, 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 Silver City, NM median $39,025/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%
Silver City, 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 Silver City, NM. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 45.5%

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

Population
9,574
Median Income
$39,025
Median Home Value
$160,900
Median Age
40.2
Poverty Rate
14.9%
Labor force participation
45.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.4%

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
9,200 residents9,400 residents9,600 residents9,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 9,718 residents 9,284 residents ▼ -4.5%
Silver City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 10
2020 10
2021 0
2022 3
2023 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2023.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
66.6%
Carpool
15.7%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
4.2%
Work from Home
13.2%

Based on 3,503 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 Silver City sits in

Cost of Living Index
92.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,048/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
74.1 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New Mexico

Grants
9,106 people
Bernalillo
9,068 people
Anthony
8,701 people
Española
10,472 people
Corrales
8,557 people
Socorro
8,540 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Silver City's 9,574 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Country Club Estates, GA
9,575 people
Greenwood, AR
9,570 people
Middletown, PA
9,567 people
North College Hill, OH
9,564 people
Greenville CDP (Westchester County), NY
9,586 people
Browns Mills, NJ
9,561 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Silver City's $39,025 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Donovan Estates, AZ
$39,018 median income
Crump, TN
$39,032 median income
Arroyo Gardens, TX
$39,038 median income
Winnebago, NE
$39,044 median income
Ripley, TN
$39,047 median income
Erick, OK
$39,000 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Silver City, 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 Silver City, NM - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 66.7% 9.8% 18.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 46.5% White 66.7% Black or African American 0.7% Asian 2.4% American Indian 1.7% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 9.8% Two or more races 18.7% 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 Silver City 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
Silver City (this city) 9,574 $39,025
Grants 9,106 $49,286
Bernalillo 9,068 $61,624
Anthony 8,701 $33,141
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NM NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Silver City, NM?

What is the population of Silver City, NM? +

Silver City, NM has a population of 9,574 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Silver City, NM? +

In Silver City, the typical household earns $39,025 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Silver City? +

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

What is the median home value in Silver City, NM? +

Silver City's median home value sits at $160,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.