Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US official measure) / Counties in New Mexico

Counties in New Mexico by poverty rate

McKinley County had the highest poverty rate of 33 counties in 2015, at 34.1%. Los Alamos County had the lowest, at 4%. The median was 21.1% and the figure for New Mexico was 19.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest34.1McKinley County
Lowest4Los Alamos County
Median21.133 counties
New Mexico19.8History

All counties, 2015

CSVChart (SVG)

McKinley CountyMcKinley County: 34.1 %34.1Luna CountyLuna County: 30.9 %30.9Cibola CountyCibola County: 29.2 %29.2San Miguel CountySan Miguel County: 28.7 %28.7Sierra CountySierra County: 28.7 %28.7Torrance CountyTorrance County: 26.2 %26.2Doña Ana CountyDoña Ana County: 25.7 %25.7Hidalgo CountyHidalgo County: 25.2 %25.2Rio Arriba CountyRio Arriba County: 24.2 %24.2Guadalupe CountyGuadalupe County: 23.9 %23.9Mora CountyMora County: 23.9 %23.9Socorro CountySocorro County: 23.5 %23.5Catron CountyCatron County: 23.4 %23.4Otero CountyOtero County: 23 %23Quay CountyQuay County: 23 %23Curry CountyCurry County: 21.7 %21.7Chaves CountyChaves County: 21.1 %21.1Grant CountyGrant County: 20.5 %20.5Roosevelt CountyRoosevelt County: 20.4 %20.4De Baca CountyDe Baca County: 20.2 %20.2Taos CountyTaos County: 19.9 %19.9Valencia CountyValencia County: 19.8 %19.8Colfax CountyColfax County: 19.7 %19.7Bernalillo CountyBernalillo County: 19 %19San Juan CountySan Juan County: 18.8 %18.8Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 17.8 %17.8Union CountyUnion County: 17.1 %17.1Harding CountyHarding County: 14.3 %14.3Lea CountyLea County: 14.3 %14.3Santa Fe CountySanta Fe County: 13.1 %13.1Eddy CountyEddy County: 12.3 %12.3Sandoval CountySandoval County: 11.2 %11.2Los Alamos CountyLos Alamos County: 4 %4
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015 (%)
1McKinley County34.1
2Luna County30.9
3Cibola County29.2
4San Miguel County28.7
4Sierra County28.7
6Torrance County26.2
7Doña Ana County25.7
8Hidalgo County25.2
9Rio Arriba County24.2
10Guadalupe County23.9
10Mora County23.9
12Socorro County23.5
13Catron County23.4
14Otero County23
14Quay County23
16Curry County21.7
17Chaves County21.1
18Grant County20.5
19Roosevelt County20.4
20De Baca County20.2
21Taos County19.9
22Valencia County19.8
23Colfax County19.7
24Bernalillo County19
25San Juan County18.8
26Lincoln County17.8
27Union County17.1
28Harding County14.3
28Lea County14.3
30Santa Fe County13.1
31Eddy County12.3
32Sandoval County11.2
33Los Alamos County4

Other periods

About this ranking

People living in families or alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), all ages.

Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2015/2015-state-and-county/est15all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

McKinley County, with 34.1% in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Los Alamos County, with 4% in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Poverty rate (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in New Mexico: more rankings