The Town FilesRuidoso Downs, New Mexico
City in Lincoln County · population 2,620 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $154,000
- Household income
- $31,354
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 38.4
Ruidoso Downs is a city of 2,620 people in Lincoln County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $154,000, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks better for a vacation home than 91% of New Mexico towns, quieter than 82% of New Mexico towns.
How Ruidoso Downs 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 Ruidoso Downs is worth $154,000, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 4.9 times the median household income of $31,354, which is more affordable than 15% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $936 a month. 63.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ruidoso Downs | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $154,000 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $936 | $916 |
| Median household income | $31,354 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.9× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 63.0% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 15.2% | — |
Who lives in Ruidoso Downs
| People | Ruidoso Downs | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.9% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 27.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 40.5% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 16.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.4% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 12.8 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.7% | 82.9% |
Weather in Ruidoso Downs
July highs average 81.2°F and January lows 20.6°F. About 22.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.2 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ruidoso Downs since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 17, 1972 about 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 9, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 19, 2024.
Severe weather in Lincoln County since 1996
Lincoln County has been included in 35 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 |
| July 10, 2025 | Flood | EM-3628: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| June 20, 2024 | Fire | DR-4795: South Fork Fire, Salt Fire, And Flooding |
| June 18, 2024 | Fire | FM-5498: Salt Fire |
| June 17, 2024 | Fire | FM-5497: South Fork Fire |
Jobs and pay in Lincoln County
Lincoln County had 6,782 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,202 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Ruidoso Downs itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.
Towns near Ruidoso Downs
- Ruidoso, NM4.3 mi · 7,679 people · home $243,800
- Capitan, NM14.4 mi · 1,391 people · home $111,700
- Mescalero, NM18.0 mi · 1,480 people · home $43,300
- Carrizozo, NM25.8 mi · 972 people · home $84,700
- Cloudcroft, NM27.3 mi · 750 people · home $234,800
- High Rolls, NM29.9 mi · 862 people · home $257,600
Ruidoso Downs questions
Is Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ruidoso Downs scores better for retirees than 59% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 82%. 24.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.4).
How much does a house cost in Ruidoso Downs?
The median owner-occupied home in Ruidoso Downs is valued at $154,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $31,354, so homes cost about 4.9 times income. Median rent is $936 a month.
What is the weather like in Ruidoso Downs?
July highs average 81.2°F and January lows 20.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.0 inches of precipitation a year and 26.2 inches of snow.
Does Ruidoso Downs get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ruidoso Downs since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 17, 1972. 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)