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 2022, at 31.9%. Los Alamos County had the lowest, at 3.7%. The median was 19.6% and the figure for New Mexico was 17.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest31.9McKinley County
Lowest3.7Los Alamos County
Median19.633 counties
New Mexico17.3History

All counties, 2022

CSVChart (SVG)

McKinley CountyMcKinley County: 31.9 %31.9Cibola CountyCibola County: 29.6 %29.6Luna CountyLuna County: 26.4 %26.4Hidalgo CountyHidalgo County: 25.2 %25.2Socorro CountySocorro County: 24.6 %24.6Guadalupe CountyGuadalupe County: 23.8 %23.8Quay CountyQuay County: 23.6 %23.6San Miguel CountySan Miguel County: 23.4 %23.4Doña Ana CountyDoña Ana County: 23.2 %23.2San Juan CountySan Juan County: 22.4 %22.4Sierra CountySierra County: 22.4 %22.4Mora CountyMora County: 21 %21Torrance CountyTorrance County: 20.3 %20.3Catron CountyCatron County: 19.8 %19.8Grant CountyGrant County: 19.7 %19.7Chaves CountyChaves County: 19.6 %19.6Otero CountyOtero County: 19.6 %19.6Union CountyUnion County: 18.9 %18.9De Baca CountyDe Baca County: 18.8 %18.8Valencia CountyValencia County: 18.8 %18.8Colfax CountyColfax County: 18.5 %18.5Lea CountyLea County: 18.5 %18.5Taos CountyTaos County: 18.4 %18.4Rio Arriba CountyRio Arriba County: 18.1 %18.1Roosevelt CountyRoosevelt County: 17.6 %17.6Curry CountyCurry County: 17.5 %17.5Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 17.4 %17.4Harding CountyHarding County: 16.6 %16.6Bernalillo CountyBernalillo County: 14 %14Eddy CountyEddy County: 13.3 %13.3Santa Fe CountySanta Fe County: 12 %12Sandoval CountySandoval County: 10.3 %10.3Los Alamos CountyLos Alamos County: 3.7 %3.7
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022 (%)Change on 2021
1McKinley County31.9+1.6 pts
2Cibola County29.6+3.2 pts
3Luna County26.4-1.2 pts
4Hidalgo County25.2+1.1 pts
5Socorro County24.6+2.4 pts
6Guadalupe County23.8-2 pts
7Quay County23.6+1.3 pts
8San Miguel County23.4+2 pts
9Doña Ana County23.2+3.9 pts
10San Juan County22.4-1.9 pts
10Sierra County22.4-4.3 pts
12Mora County21-0.9 pts
13Torrance County20.3-2.4 pts
14Catron County19.80 pts
15Grant County19.7+1.1 pts
16Chaves County19.6-8 pts
16Otero County19.6-0.3 pts
18Union County18.9-0.6 pts
19De Baca County18.8-0.8 pts
19Valencia County18.80 pts
21Colfax County18.5-0.3 pts
21Lea County18.5-0.3 pts
23Taos County18.4-0.2 pts
24Rio Arriba County18.1-2.3 pts
25Roosevelt County17.6-3.5 pts
26Curry County17.5-1.4 pts
27Lincoln County17.4-1 pts
28Harding County16.6-0.8 pts
29Bernalillo County14-1.2 pts
30Eddy County13.3-0.5 pts
31Santa Fe County12-0.3 pts
32Sandoval County10.3+0.9 pts
33Los Alamos County3.70 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/2022/2022-state-and-county/est22all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Rank Counties in New Mexico by poverty rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

McKinley County, with 31.9% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Los Alamos County, with 3.7% in 2022.

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