The Town FilesGrants, New Mexico
City in Cibola County · population 9,163 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $136,500
- Household income
- $47,183
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 37.2
Grants is a city of 9,163 people in Cibola County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $136,500, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks more vibrant than 90% of New Mexico towns, more of a college town than 79% of New Mexico towns, more walkable than 75% of New Mexico towns.
- #1 in 16 Small Towns in New Mexico With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- #12 in The 16 Most Affordable Small Towns in New Mexico
- #17 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- #19 in The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in New Mexico
- #20 in The 22 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in New Mexico
How Grants ranks
Percentile among New Mexico towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Mexico towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Grants is worth $136,500, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $47,183, which is more affordable than 65% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $783 a month. 59.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Grants | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $136,500 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $783 | $916 |
| Median household income | $47,183 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 59.6% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Grants
| People | Grants | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.2 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.5% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.3% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 34.1% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.5% | — |
| Work from home | 11.9% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 16.4 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.6% | 82.9% |
Weather in Grants
July highs average 91.9°F and January lows 14.6°F. About 9.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 7.9 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 59 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 182 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Grants since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 15, 2007.
Severe weather in Cibola County since 1996
Cibola County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 26, 2026 | Flood | EM-3660: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4529: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3460: Covid-19 |
| October 29, 2013 | Flood | DR-4152: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| November 23, 2011 | Flood | DR-4047: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Cibola County
Cibola County had 7,226 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,565 a year. Unemployment was 5.2% in 2023; in Grants itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Public schools in Grants
7 public schools with 2,138 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRANTS HIGH | 9-12 | 817 | 13.4 |
| MESA VIEW ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 477 | 11.6 |
| LOS ALAMITOS MIDDLE | 7-8 | 422 | 12.1 |
| MOUNT TAYLOR ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 373 | 10.4 |
| GCCS EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 47 | 15.7 |
| WESTERN NM CORRECTIONS | 8-12 | 2 | — |
| NORTHWESTERN NM CORRECTIONS | 8-12 | — | — |
Grants questions
Is Grants, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Grants scores better for retirees than 48% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 8%. 15.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.2).
How much does a house cost in Grants?
The median owner-occupied home in Grants is valued at $136,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,183, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $783 a month.
What is the weather like in Grants?
July highs average 91.9°F and January lows 14.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.7 inches of precipitation a year and 7.9 inches of snow.
Does Grants get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Grants in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)