Census tract · Lincoln County
Census Tract 9608, Lincoln County, New Mexico
Census Tract 9608, GEOID 35027960800, in Lincoln County, New Mexico, mostly within Ruidoso (83% of its census blocks). 2,025 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±407); the 2020 Census counted 2,489.
Residents, 2020-2024
2,025
±407 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 2,489
Median household income
$52,549
±$20,848 (90% margin)
Lincoln County: $53,303
Median home value
$232,900
±$59,778 (90% margin)
Lincoln County: $233,200
Median gross rent
$1,042
±$197 (90% margin)
Lincoln County: $956
Where is Census Tract 9608?
Census Tract 9608 is one of 9 census tracts in Lincoln County, New Mexico. It covers 10.88 square miles of land, 229 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 35027960800, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Ruidoso | 83% |
| Ruidoso Downs | 2% |
4 census tracts border Census Tract 9608: Tract 9604.01, Tract 9606.01, Tract 9606.02 ($44,869) and Tract 9400 in Otero County ($36,927). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 9608?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 9608's population at 2,025 (±407) in 1,198 households; the 2020 Census counted 2,489 residents and 2,293 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 9608 | Ruidoso |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,025 ±407 | 7,699 |
| Households | 1,198 ±252 | 3,941 |
| Average household size | 1.69 ±0.27 | 1.95 |
| Housing units | 2,287 ±224 | 8,294 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 9608?
The median resident of Census Tract 9608 is 49.7 years old; 11.7% are under 18 and 23.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 59.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 32.8%.
| Measure | Tract 9608 | Ruidoso |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.7 ±10.3 | 44.8 |
| Under 18 years | 11.7% ±6.8 pts | 16.0% |
| 65 years and over | 23.9% ±9.3 pts | 28.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 32.8% ±10.4 pts | 29.2% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 59.2% ±10.8 pts | 64.3% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 5.2% ±3.5 pts | 1.9% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 2.7% ±4.4 pts | 1.5% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 2.3% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.2% |
| Born outside the United States | 2.0% ±2.3 pts | 4.0% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 15.1% ±8.5 pts | 15.1% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.3% ±2.3 pts | 9.3% |
| With a disability | 29.8% ±9.9 pts | 19.2% |
| No health insurance coverage | 16.1% ±7.8 pts | 9.3% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.5% ±8.5 pts | 94.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 21.0% ±10.7 pts | 35.4% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.0% ±4.2 pts | 11.1% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 67.0% ±15.5 pts | 84.2% |
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 Census Tract 9608 earn?
Half of the 1,198 households in Census Tract 9608 earn less than $52,549 a year (±$20,848), against $53,303 across Lincoln County: 5th highest of the county's 7 tracts with a reliable estimate. 20.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 9608 | Ruidoso |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,549 ±$20,848 | $52,736 |
| Mean household income | $66,201 ±$21,695 | $68,084 |
| Per capita income | $40,302 ±$14,143 | $35,658 |
| People below the poverty line | 20.0% ±10.8 pts | 20.6% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 49.4% ±33.4 pts | 35.8% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 5.9% ±6.2 pts | 12.1% |
| Households with a computer | 97.7% ±2.8 pts | 98.3% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.9% ±9.0 pts | 82.9% |
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 Census Tract 9608?
Owners occupy 69.5% of Census Tract 9608's occupied homes and renters 30.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $232,900 by its owner (±$59,778). The median renter pays $1,042 a month including utilities, and 41.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 9608 | Ruidoso |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $232,900 ±$59,778 | $243,800 |
| Median gross rent | $1,042 ±$197 | $944 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.2% ±23.7 pts | 35.2% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,651 ±$182 | $1,587 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 69.5% ±10.3 pts | 68.4% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 30.5% ±10.3 pts | 31.6% |
| Housing units | 2,287 ±224 | 8,294 |
| Single-family detached homes | 74.6% ±9.6 pts | 69.4% |
| Mobile homes | 12.4% ±6.7 pts | 15.6% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.1% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.3% ±1.5 pts | 2.4% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.9% ±3.4 pts | 2.0% |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.3% ±8.0 pts | 3.4% |
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 Census Tract 9608 get to work?
71.1% of Census Tract 9608's workers drive alone and 19.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 13.4 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 9608 | Ruidoso |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.0% ±10.8 pts | 54.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±3.8 pts | 3.3% |
| Drove alone to work | 71.1% ±15.9 pts | 75.8% |
| Carpooled | 9.1% ±9.5 pts | 6.6% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.3% |
| Walked | 0.2% ±0.7 pts | 1.3% |
| Worked from home | 19.6% ±12.8 pts | 12.9% |
| Mean travel time to work | 13.4 min ±3.7 | 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
How does Census Tract 9608 compare with the other tracts in Lincoln County?
Among Lincoln County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 9608 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Lincoln County | In Ruidoso |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 4th of 9 | 2nd of 5 |
| Residents per square mile | 3rd of 9 | 3rd of 5 |
| Median household income | 5th of 7 | 3rd of 4 |
| Per capita income | 3rd of 9 | 3rd of 5 |
| Median home value | 4th of 9 | 3rd of 5 |
| Median gross rent | 3rd of 9 | 3rd of 5 |
| Poverty rate | 4th of 7 | 2nd of 3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8th of 9 | 5th of 5 |
| Median age | 7th of 9 | 3rd of 5 |
| Owner-occupied share | 7th of 9 | 4th of 5 |
The tracts next to it on Lincoln County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9604.02 | 2nd | $57,404±$25,808 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9604.03 | 3rd | $55,682±$2,058 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9603 | 4th | $53,193±$5,813 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9608 | 5th | $52,549±$20,848 |
| Tract 9606.02 | 6th | $44,869±$20,089 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9602 | 7th | $43,705±$24,096 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 9608?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 9608 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections