Otero County, New Mexico
Among the top 8% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 21% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 92% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 21% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 60% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 31% of US counties
- top 1% for sunny days
- top 10% for summer humidity
- bottom 6% for unemployment
Otero County is a county in New Mexico with about 68,000 residents. It grades A for weather and D for affordability. Standout strengths include sunny days, summer humidity, and property tax rate. It rates lower on comfortable days and unemployment.
- The median home value in Otero County is $139k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Otero County is $51k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Otero County is $882 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Otero County has a violent crime rate of 902/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Otero County is 22 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Hot, dry summers · Cold winters · Dry · Light snow
cool
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warm
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cool
91%82%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.7 in0.4 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$51k23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$44kbetter than 63% of US counties
Home Value$139k37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$882better than 38% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$16kbetter than 29% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.57%better than 79% of US counties
Income Tax5.90%better than 24% of US counties
Sales Tax7.62%better than 42% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.99%better than 39% of US counties
Unemployment9.6%better than 6% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)42°F73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)81°F74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation11.6 in3rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall7.2 inbetter than 60% of US counties
Sunny Days328 daysbetter than 100% of US counties
Summer Humidity51°Fbetter than 90% of US counties
Comfortable Days51 daysbetter than 12% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk84.7better than 15% of US counties
School Quality47.2better than 33% of US counties
Violent Crime902/100kbetter than 42% of US counties
Property Crime1133/100kbetter than 39% of US counties
Community
Population67,85075th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age35.912th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5589th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.1291st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2636th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)46.9%14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.5%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)39.0%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.2%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)9.5%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 67% of US counties
Walkability5.7/20better than 37% of US counties
Airport Distance76 mibetter than 64% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.3%better than 63% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 47% of US counties
Data sources
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Otero County an affordable place to live?
- Otero County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $44k, better than 63% of comparable areas. Median rent is $882.
- Is Otero County safe?
- Otero County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 902/100k (better than 42%). Property crime is 1133/100k.
- What is the weather like in Otero County?
- Otero County averages 81°F in July and 42°F in January, with 11.6 in of annual precipitation and about 328 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Otero County?
- Public-school quality in Otero County is below average, scoring better than 33% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Otero County?
- The average one-way commute in Otero County is 22 min.