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 2018, at 32.3%. Los Alamos County had the lowest, at 3.9%. The median was 21.4% and the figure for New Mexico was 18.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest32.3McKinley County
Lowest3.9Los Alamos County
Median21.433 counties
New Mexico18.8History

All counties, 2018

CSVChart (SVG)

McKinley CountyMcKinley County: 32.3 %32.3Socorro CountySocorro County: 29.6 %29.6Cibola CountyCibola County: 28.6 %28.6San Miguel CountySan Miguel County: 28.2 %28.2Luna CountyLuna County: 27.2 %27.2Hidalgo CountyHidalgo County: 25.7 %25.7Sierra CountySierra County: 25.7 %25.7Torrance CountyTorrance County: 25.2 %25.2Doña Ana CountyDoña Ana County: 24.9 %24.9Guadalupe CountyGuadalupe County: 24.3 %24.3Quay CountyQuay County: 24.1 %24.1Mora CountyMora County: 23.5 %23.5Catron CountyCatron County: 23.3 %23.3San Juan CountySan Juan County: 23.1 %23.1Roosevelt CountyRoosevelt County: 22.6 %22.6Rio Arriba CountyRio Arriba County: 22 %22Taos CountyTaos County: 21.4 %21.4Grant CountyGrant County: 20.7 %20.7De Baca CountyDe Baca County: 20.4 %20.4Union CountyUnion County: 20.4 %20.4Otero CountyOtero County: 20.3 %20.3Colfax CountyColfax County: 19.8 %19.8Chaves CountyChaves County: 18.9 %18.9Valencia CountyValencia County: 17.3 %17.3Curry CountyCurry County: 17.2 %17.2Harding CountyHarding County: 16.7 %16.7Bernalillo CountyBernalillo County: 16.5 %16.5Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 16.4 %16.4Lea CountyLea County: 16.1 %16.1Eddy CountyEddy County: 15.7 %15.7Sandoval CountySandoval County: 12.6 %12.6Santa Fe CountySanta Fe County: 12.2 %12.2Los Alamos CountyLos Alamos County: 3.9 %3.9
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2018 (%)Change on 2017
1McKinley County32.3-5.5 pts
2Socorro County29.6+1.3 pts
3Cibola County28.6-1.5 pts
4San Miguel County28.2-1 pts
5Luna County27.2-1.1 pts
6Hidalgo County25.7+0.9 pts
6Sierra County25.7-0.9 pts
8Torrance County25.2-1.5 pts
9Doña Ana County24.9-1.4 pts
10Guadalupe County24.3+1.7 pts
11Quay County24.1+0.2 pts
12Mora County23.5+0.9 pts
13Catron County23.3+2.1 pts
14San Juan County23.10 pts
15Roosevelt County22.6-3.1 pts
16Rio Arriba County22-6.9 pts
17Taos County21.4-1.4 pts
18Grant County20.7+0.4 pts
19De Baca County20.4-1.6 pts
19Union County20.4+2.8 pts
21Otero County20.3+1.8 pts
22Colfax County19.80 pts
23Chaves County18.90 pts
24Valencia County17.3-0.2 pts
25Curry County17.2-1.7 pts
26Harding County16.7+1.6 pts
27Bernalillo County16.5+1.9 pts
28Lincoln County16.4+0.6 pts
29Lea County16.10 pts
30Eddy County15.7-1.2 pts
31Sandoval County12.6-2.7 pts
32Santa Fe County12.20 pts
33Los Alamos County3.9+0.2 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/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

McKinley County, with 32.3% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Los Alamos County, with 3.9% in 2018.

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