Your life in Colfax County, New Mexico

What stands out

If you had to describe Colfax County in numbers, start here: the school test score is in the bottom 5% of American counties (2.47 where 3.0 is grade level), the restaurant count per person is in the top 5% of American counties (1.6 per 1,000), and home internet speed is in the bottom 6% of American counties (72 Mbps). Within New Mexico it ranks 5th of 30 counties for the school test score, counting from the bottom.

Where you are

You live in Colfax County, New Mexico. 12,370 people live here with you. The population held steady at 0.1% last year, and more Americans moved in than out (net +48).

New Mexico taxes Social Security only above $100,000 of income for single filers and $150,000 for joint filers, exempts military retirement, and has a graduated income tax with a 5.9% top rate. Home prices are low outside Santa Fe, where they are among the highest in the Mountain West. The state's oil production in the Permian Basin funds a large share of the budget and a permanent fund.

Money

The typical household here brings in $46,286 a year, lower than 86% of American counties. Employers pay an average wage of $44,087. Unemployment runs 3.9%, higher than 66% of American counties. 11% of workers work from home; for the rest the average commute is 16 minutes each way.

New Mexico takes 3.8% of that median income in state income tax, about $1,766 a year.

Home

The median home costs $250K, pricier than 56% of American counties, about 2.2 years of the median household's income. A two-bedroom rents for around $654 a month. Property tax is 0.57% of home value, roughly $793 a year on that median home, lower than 80% of American counties. 72% of households own rather than rent.

Safety and health

Violent crime here is 3.7 per 1,000 residents, lower than 59% of American counties. Drug overdoses killed 28 people per 100,000 in 2024, one of the harder-hit counties in the country.

A child born here can expect to live 75.3 years, shorter than 56% of American counties. There are 14 active physicians in the county, about 11.3 per 10,000 people. 13.9% of people under 65 have no health insurance.

School

Local students test at grade level 2.47 where 3.0 is national grade level, lower than 95% of American counties. 91% of adults finished high school.

Neighbors and politics

In 2024 your neighbors voted Republican by 6 points. 62% of eligible voters turned out. Under New Mexico law you can get a concealed-carry permit on request, abortion is protected by state law, and marijuana is legal for adults.

Weather and risk

The year averages 49°F, highs near 63 and lows near 34, colder than 79% of American counties. About 17 inches of rain and snow fall a year. FEMA puts natural-hazard risk at 67 out of 100, riskier than 67% of American counties; the county has had 18 federal disaster declarations since 1953.

Getting around, going out

Home internet averages 72 Mbps down, slower than 94% of American counties. There are 3 airports in the county, counting general aviation. For a night or a weekend out: 1.6 full-service restaurants per 1,000 people, 3 breweries.

Where these numbers come from

• BLS QCEW 2024
• CDC 2024
• CMS 2024
• Census 2023
• Census ACS
• Census ACS 2022
• Census Population Estimates 2023
• Census SAHIE 2024
• County Health Rankings 2024
• Derived from ACS 2022 home value / household income
• FAA Airport Database
• FEMA Disaster Declarations 1953–2026
• FEMA National Risk Index 2023 (0–100, all hazards)
• HRSA Area Health Resources File 2023
• IMLS
• NOAA Climate Normals
• National Park Service
• Ookla Speedtest Intelligence
• Open Brewery DB
• OpenElections 2024
• SEDA via County Health Rankings 2024 (3.0 = at grade level; not a Z-score)
• Tax Foundation 2023
• USDA Food Environment Atlas
• Zillow ZHVI 2024
• New Mexico tax and law data: state revenue department, Tax Foundation, Giffords, Guttmacher (2026)

Percentiles compare this county with every other county that reports the same figure. Missing figures are left out rather than guessed. Share this page: the address is permanent.