The Town FilesNorth Light Plant, New Mexico
Community in San Juan County · population 556 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $202,700
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 27.3
North Light Plant is a community of 556 people in San Juan County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $202,700, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks more of a college town than 78% of New Mexico towns, better for families than 76% of New Mexico towns.
How North Light Plant 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 North Light Plant is worth $202,700, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). 65.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | North Light Plant | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $202,700 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | — | $916 |
| Median household income | — | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 65.4% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in North Light Plant
| People | North Light Plant | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 27.3 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 0.0% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 41.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 0.0% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 61.8% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 0.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 10.8% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 40.0 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.2% | 82.9% |
Weather in North Light Plant
July highs average 93.9°F and January lows 17.1°F. About 10.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.9 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 61 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of North Light Plant since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F0, struck on October 23, 2000 about 9.0 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 2 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 2, 1965.
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 North Light Plant itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near North Light Plant
- Spencerville, NM3.0 mi · 1,138 people · home $255,000
- Center Point, NM4.3 mi · 2,435 people · home $193,000
- Aztec, NM5.0 mi · 6,201 people · home $175,000
- Flora Vista, NM5.4 mi · 2,048 people · home $219,300
- South River, NM5.8 mi · 2,011 people · home $260,100
- Crouch Mesa, NM8.7 mi · 5,257 people · home $89,200
- Bloomfield, NM9.2 mi · 7,421 people · home $161,200
- La Plata, NM9.5 mi · 2,105 people · home $210,000
North Light Plant questions
Is North Light Plant, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, North Light Plant scores better for retirees than 53% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 53%. 0.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 27.3).
How much does a house cost in North Light Plant?
The median owner-occupied home in North Light Plant is valued at $202,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in North Light Plant?
July highs average 93.9°F and January lows 17.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.1 inches of precipitation a year and 10.9 inches of snow.
Does North Light Plant get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of North Light Plant 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)