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 2017, at 37.8%. Los Alamos County had the lowest, at 3.7%. The median was 22% and the figure for New Mexico was 19%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest37.8McKinley County
Lowest3.7Los Alamos County
Median2233 counties
New Mexico19History

All counties, 2017

CSVChart (SVG)

McKinley CountyMcKinley County: 37.8 %37.8Cibola CountyCibola County: 30.1 %30.1San Miguel CountySan Miguel County: 29.2 %29.2Rio Arriba CountyRio Arriba County: 28.9 %28.9Luna CountyLuna County: 28.3 %28.3Socorro CountySocorro County: 28.3 %28.3Torrance CountyTorrance County: 26.7 %26.7Sierra CountySierra County: 26.6 %26.6Doña Ana CountyDoña Ana County: 26.3 %26.3Roosevelt CountyRoosevelt County: 25.7 %25.7Hidalgo CountyHidalgo County: 24.8 %24.8Quay CountyQuay County: 23.9 %23.9San Juan CountySan Juan County: 23.1 %23.1Taos CountyTaos County: 22.8 %22.8Guadalupe CountyGuadalupe County: 22.6 %22.6Mora CountyMora County: 22.6 %22.6De Baca CountyDe Baca County: 22 %22Catron CountyCatron County: 21.2 %21.2Grant CountyGrant County: 20.3 %20.3Colfax CountyColfax County: 19.8 %19.8Chaves CountyChaves County: 18.9 %18.9Curry CountyCurry County: 18.9 %18.9Otero CountyOtero County: 18.5 %18.5Union CountyUnion County: 17.6 %17.6Valencia CountyValencia County: 17.5 %17.5Eddy CountyEddy County: 16.9 %16.9Lea CountyLea County: 16.1 %16.1Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 15.8 %15.8Sandoval CountySandoval County: 15.3 %15.3Harding CountyHarding County: 15.1 %15.1Bernalillo CountyBernalillo County: 14.6 %14.6Santa Fe CountySanta Fe County: 12.2 %12.2Los Alamos CountyLos Alamos County: 3.7 %3.7
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017 (%)Change on 2016
1McKinley County37.8+3.4 pts
2Cibola County30.1+3.2 pts
3San Miguel County29.2+3.5 pts
4Rio Arriba County28.9+6.4 pts
5Luna County28.3+0.7 pts
5Socorro County28.3+2.9 pts
7Torrance County26.7-0.6 pts
8Sierra County26.6-0.4 pts
9Doña Ana County26.3+0.7 pts
10Roosevelt County25.7+3.4 pts
11Hidalgo County24.8-1.9 pts
12Quay County23.9-0.7 pts
13San Juan County23.1+5.7 pts
14Taos County22.8+0.4 pts
15Guadalupe County22.6-2.5 pts
15Mora County22.6-2.6 pts
17De Baca County22+0.8 pts
18Catron County21.2-2 pts
19Grant County20.3-2.5 pts
20Colfax County19.8-1.6 pts
21Chaves County18.9-3.1 pts
21Curry County18.90 pts
23Otero County18.5-2 pts
24Union County17.6-2.5 pts
25Valencia County17.5-1.1 pts
26Eddy County16.9+1.7 pts
27Lea County16.1-1.9 pts
28Lincoln County15.8-2.4 pts
29Sandoval County15.3+0.8 pts
30Harding County15.1+0.8 pts
31Bernalillo County14.6-1.6 pts
32Santa Fe County12.2-1.8 pts
33Los Alamos County3.7-0.3 pts

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/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

McKinley County, with 37.8% in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Los Alamos County, with 3.7% in 2017.

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