The Town FilesLas Cruces, New Mexico
City in Doña Ana County · population 111,385 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $231,700
- Household income
- $55,422
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 33.0
Las Cruces is a city of 111,385 people in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $231,700, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks more vibrant than 99% of New Mexico towns, more walkable than 93% of New Mexico towns, better for young professionals than 92% of New Mexico towns.
How Las Cruces 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 Las Cruces is worth $231,700, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $55,422, which is more affordable than 25% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $974 a month. 55.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Las Cruces | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $231,700 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $974 | $916 |
| Median household income | $55,422 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 55.9% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Las Cruces
| People | Las Cruces | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.0 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.3% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.7% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.6% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 8.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.2% | — |
| Work from home | 10.7% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.5% | 82.9% |
Weather in Las Cruces
July highs average 95.6°F and January lows 29.6°F. About 9.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.0 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 109 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 69 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Las Cruces since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F0, struck on September 13, 2006 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 13, 2006.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 46 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on June 15, 1969.
Severe weather in Doña Ana County since 1996
Doña Ana County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 22, 2025 | Flood | DR-4886: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 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 |
| August 30, 2006 | Severe Storm | DR-1659: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Doña Ana County
Doña Ana County had 79,409 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,974 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Las Cruces itself the ACS puts it at 7%.
Public schools in Las Cruces
45 public schools with 24,002 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ORGAN MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,063 | 18.8 |
| LAS CRUCES HIGH | 9-12 | 1,806 | 18.6 |
| CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,664 | 18.7 |
| MAYFIELD HIGH | 9-12 | 1,401 | 16.7 |
| CAMINO REAL MIDDLE | 6-8 | 928 | 16.0 |
| SIERRA MIDDLE | 6-8 | 752 | 16.0 |
| SONOMA ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 735 | 14.7 |
| HIGHLAND ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 724 | 15.7 |
| MONTE VISTA ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 723 | 14.2 |
| MESA MIDDLE | 6-8 | 718 | 15.0 |
| PICACHO MIDDLE | 6-8 | 684 | 15.5 |
| ZIA MIDDLE | 6-8 | 626 | 14.9 |
Towns near Las Cruces
- San Ysidro, NM2.5 mi · 2,133 people · home $335,300
- Fairacres, NM3.1 mi · 720 people · home $279,200
- Mesilla, NM4.1 mi · 1,797 people · home $301,400
- University Park, NM4.3 mi · 3,007 people · home —
- Tortugas, NM4.4 mi · 579 people · home $83,200
- Doña Ana, NM4.9 mi · 874 people · home $96,400
- Picacho Hills, NM5.2 mi · 1,864 people · home $456,400
- San Pablo, NM5.5 mi · 858 people · home $273,300
Las Cruces questions
Is Las Cruces, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Las Cruces scores better for retirees than 18% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 3%. 16.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.0).
How much does a house cost in Las Cruces?
The median owner-occupied home in Las Cruces is valued at $231,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,422, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $974 a month.
What is the weather like in Las Cruces?
July highs average 95.6°F and January lows 29.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.1 inches of precipitation a year and 1.0 inches of snow.
Does Las Cruces get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Las Cruces since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on September 13, 2006. 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)