The Town FilesLa Plata, New Mexico
Community in San Juan County · population 2,105 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $210,000
- Household income
- $57,071
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 45.3
La Plata is a community of 2,105 people in San Juan County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $210,000, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks quieter than 84% of New Mexico towns, better for retirees than 70% of New Mexico towns.
How La Plata 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 Plata is worth $210,000, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $57,071, which is more affordable than 37% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $938 a month. 82.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | La Plata | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $210,000 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $938 | $916 |
| Median household income | $57,071 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 82.9% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in La Plata
| People | La Plata | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.3 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.6% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.4% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 35.7% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 8.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.4% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 75.8% | 82.9% |
Weather in La Plata
July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 19.2°F. About 7.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.0 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 69 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 149 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Plata since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F0, struck on October 23, 2000 about 1.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 23, 2000.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 11, 2015.
Severe weather in San Juan County since 1996
San Juan County has been included in 12 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 29, 2013 | Flood | DR-4152: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in San Juan County
San Juan County had 46,650 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,008 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in La Plata itself the ACS puts it at 8.5%.
Towns near La Plata
- Flora Vista, NM8.9 mi · 2,048 people · home $219,300
- Spencerville, NM9.0 mi · 1,138 people · home $255,000
- North Light Plant, NM9.5 mi · 556 people · home $202,700
- Farmington, NM9.9 mi · 46,624 people · home $233,000
- South River, NM11.0 mi · 2,011 people · home $260,100
- Crouch Mesa, NM12.1 mi · 5,257 people · home $89,200
- Kirtland, NM13.2 mi · 585 people · home $291,300
- Center Point, NM13.7 mi · 2,435 people · home $193,000
La Plata questions
Is La Plata, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, La Plata scores better for retirees than 70% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 84%. 25.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.3).
How much does a house cost in La Plata?
The median owner-occupied home in La Plata is valued at $210,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,071, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $938 a month.
What is the weather like in La Plata?
July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 19.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 7.8 inches of precipitation a year and 9.0 inches of snow.
Does La Plata get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Plata since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on October 23, 2000. 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)