The Town FilesLa Mesilla, New Mexico
Community in Rio Arriba County · population 1,844 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $315,800
- Household income
- $81,438
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 45.8
La Mesilla is a community of 1,844 people in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $315,800, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks more upscale than 79% of New Mexico towns, hipper than 75% of New Mexico towns, easier by car than 75% of New Mexico towns.
How La Mesilla 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 La Mesilla is worth $315,800, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $81,438, which is more affordable than 32% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $1,012 a month. 87.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | La Mesilla | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $315,800 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $1,012 | $916 |
| Median household income | $81,438 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 87.4% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.5% | — |
Who lives in La Mesilla
| People | La Mesilla | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.8 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.5% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.8% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.0% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 8.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 15.1% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 32.6 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.6% | 82.9% |
Weather in La Mesilla
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 15.3°F. About 11.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.1 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 41 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 182 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of La Mesilla since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F1, struck on December 26, 1966 about 6.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 26, 1966.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on June 5, 1978.
Severe weather in Rio Arriba County since 1996
Rio Arriba County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 26, 2026 | Flood | EM-3660: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| June 20, 2024 | Fire | DR-4795: South Fork Fire, Salt Fire, And Flooding |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4529: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3460: Covid-19 |
| October 6, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4197: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Rio Arriba County
Rio Arriba County had 9,291 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,908 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in La Mesilla itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Towns near La Mesilla
- El Valle de Arroyo Seco, NM2.3 mi · 1,431 people · home —
- Santa Clara Pueblo, NM2.9 mi · 930 people · home $123,900
- El Rancho, NM3.6 mi · 1,120 people · home $281,400
- Española, NM4.3 mi · 10,526 people · home $210,800
- Pojoaque, NM4.4 mi · 2,071 people · home $165,600
- La Puebla, NM4.8 mi · 1,123 people · home $266,500
- San Ildefonso Pueblo, NM5.2 mi · 624 people · home $190,900
- Cuyamungue, NM6.1 mi · 534 people · home $364,100
La Mesilla questions
Is La Mesilla, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, La Mesilla scores better for retirees than 64% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 44%. 24.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.8).
How much does a house cost in La Mesilla?
The median owner-occupied home in La Mesilla is valued at $315,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,438, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,012 a month.
What is the weather like in La Mesilla?
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 15.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.1 inches of precipitation a year and 21.1 inches of snow.
Does La Mesilla get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of La Mesilla since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on December 26, 1966. The typical New Mexico town has had 3.
- 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)