Chaves County, New Mexico
Among the top 9% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 42% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 91% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 19% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 80% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 21% of US counties
- top 2% for sunny days
- top 7% for air quality
- bottom 2% for violent crime
Chaves County is a county in New Mexico with about 65,000 residents. It grades A for weather and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include sunny days, air quality, and commute time. It rates lower on property crime and violent crime.
Official websiteco.chaves.nm.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, dry summers · Cold winters · Dry · Light snow
cool
comf.
warm
hot
sweltering
hot
warm
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cool
89%80%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.7 in0.4 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$50k20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 47% of US counties
Home Value$133k34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$850better than 43% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 69% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.60%better than 75% of US counties
Income Tax5.90%better than 24% of US counties
Sales Tax7.62%better than 42% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.03%better than 38% of US counties
Unemployment5.3%better than 40% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)43°F74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)82°F83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation12.2 in3rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall6.8 inbetter than 60% of US counties
Sunny Days309 daysbetter than 98% of US counties
Summer Humidity56°Fbetter than 85% of US counties
Comfortable Days55 daysbetter than 13% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk87.6better than 12% of US counties
Air Quality24 AQIbetter than 93% of US counties
School Quality50.0better than 40% of US counties
Violent Crime2729/100kbetter than 2% of US counties
Property Crime2591/100kbetter than 6% of US counties
Community
Population64,70174th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.213th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4876th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0264th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4254th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)36.2%8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.5%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)59.1%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.0%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.3%21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time18 minbetter than 88% of US counties
Walkability7.9/20better than 86% of US counties
Airport Distance153 mibetter than 24% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access75.0%better than 15% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.15better than 25% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 61% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Chaves County an affordable place to live?
- Chaves County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 47% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Chaves County?
- The median home value in Chaves County is $133k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Chaves County?
- Median household income in Chaves County is $50k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Chaves County?
- Median gross rent in Chaves County is $850 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Chaves County safe?
- Chaves County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2729/100k (better than 2%). Property crime is 2591/100k.
- What is the weather like in Chaves County?
- Chaves County averages 82°F in July and 43°F in January, with 12.2 in of annual precipitation and about 309 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Chaves County?
- Public-school quality in Chaves County is below average, scoring better than 40% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Chaves County?
- The average one-way commute in Chaves County is 18 min.
Other counties in New Mexico
Explore New Mexico
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)