The Town FilesMoriarty, New Mexico
City in Torrance County · population 1,946 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $108,500
- Household income
- $31,650
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 31.3
Moriarty is a city of 1,946 people in Torrance County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $108,500, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks better for cycling than 97% of New Mexico towns, quieter than 75% of New Mexico towns.
How Moriarty 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 Moriarty is worth $108,500, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $31,650, which is more affordable than 47% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $743 a month. 62.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Moriarty | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $108,500 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $743 | $916 |
| Median household income | $31,650 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 62.7% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Moriarty
| People | Moriarty | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.3 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.8% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 33.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5.3% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 36.7% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.3% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 30.7 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 75.2% | 82.9% |
Weather in Moriarty
July highs average 87.5°F and January lows 15.2°F. About 12.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.4 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 34 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 181 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Moriarty since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 8, 1989 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 7, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 9, 2025.
Severe weather in Torrance County since 1996
Torrance County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 2, 2023 | Fire | FM-5461: Echo Ridge Fire, Nm Fmag |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4529: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3460: Covid-19 |
| June 16, 2016 | Fire | FM-5127: Dog Head Fire |
| October 29, 2013 | Flood | DR-4152: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Torrance County
Torrance County had 3,165 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,439 a year. Unemployment was 5.1% in 2023; in Moriarty itself the ACS puts it at 11.6%.
Public schools in Moriarty
7 public schools with 2,341 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MORIARTY HIGH | 9-12 | 689 | 16.4 |
| MORIARTY ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 411 | 13.7 |
| SOUTH MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 309 | 13.4 |
| EDGEWOOD MIDDLE | 6-8 | 295 | 14.8 |
| ROUTE 66 ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 291 | 12.1 |
| MORIARTY MIDDLE | 6-8 | 236 | 12.4 |
| MESD EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER | PK-PK | 110 | 10.0 |
Towns near Moriarty
- Indian Hills, NM5.6 mi · 947 people · home $143,800
- McIntosh, NM8.4 mi · 1,395 people · home $168,500
- Thunder Mountain, NM12.2 mi · 1,171 people · home $400,000
- Barton, NM12.8 mi · 1,282 people · home $323,700
- Edgewood, NM13.3 mi · 6,174 people · home $306,400
- Cedar Grove, NM13.9 mi · 549 people · home $185,000
- Sedillo, NM14.9 mi · 670 people · home $475,900
- Estancia, NM16.5 mi · 1,242 people · home $99,000
Moriarty questions
Is Moriarty, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Moriarty scores better for retirees than 17% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 75%. 15.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.3).
How much does a house cost in Moriarty?
The median owner-occupied home in Moriarty is valued at $108,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $31,650, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $743 a month.
What is the weather like in Moriarty?
July highs average 87.5°F and January lows 15.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.7 inches of precipitation a year and 21.4 inches of snow.
Does Moriarty get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Moriarty since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 8, 1989. 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)