The Town Files

Thoreau, New Mexico

Community in McKinley County · population 2,367 (2020 Census)

Map: where Thoreau is in New MexicoThoreau
Median home
$95,200
Household income
$45,469
Jan low / Jul high
12° / 89°
Snow a year
31 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
34.8

Thoreau is a community of 2,367 people in McKinley County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $95,200, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 82% of New Mexico towns.

How Thoreau 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.

Thoreau lifestyle rankings vs other New Mexico townsRetirement5th pctFamilies60th pctQuiet42nd pctWalkability5th pctFirst-time buyers82nd pctYoung professionals16th pctVibrancy57th pctHip & trendy4th pctCollege town46th pctUpscale6th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit63rd pctDriving28th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Thoreau is worth $95,200, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $45,469, which is more affordable than 84% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $483 a month. 80.2% of households own their home.

Thoreau vs McKinley County vs typical New Mexico townThoreauMcKinley CountyTypical New Mexico townHome value$95,200$78,700$187,400Household income$45,469$47,668$55,614Monthly rent$483$859$916
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New Mexico towns with 500+ people.
HousingThoreauTypical New Mexico town
Median home value$95,200$187,400
Median rent$483$916
Median household income$45,469$55,614
Home value ÷ income2.1×3.2×
Homeownership80.2%80.1%
Median year built19891984
Seasonal / vacation homes7.8%—

Who lives in Thoreau

PeopleThoreauTypical New Mexico town
Median age34.839.9
Age 65 and over18.3%19.1%
Under 1824.3%—
Bachelor's degree or higher4.2%18.7%
Below the poverty line27.5%18.0%
Veterans5.1%—
Born outside the U.S.2.1%—
Work from home14.6%8.3%
Average commute46.5 min24.4 min
Homes with broadband56.1%82.9%

Weather in Thoreau

July highs average 88.7°F and January lows 12.2°F. About 12.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.6 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 205 nights at or below freezing.

Thoreau monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing48°12°Jan51°18°Feb59°23°Mar67°29°Apr76°37°May88°46°Jun89°52°Jul86°50°Aug81°42°Sep70°30°Oct58°20°Nov48°13°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue0.88.90.65.90.62.30.71.40.81.10.62.02.41.40.81.10.73.40.86.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Thoreau 12 Se station (9.1 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Thoreau since 1950.

Severe weather in McKinley County since 1996

Storm events in McKinley County since 1996 by typeHail8Drought299Tornado5Wildfire6High Wind68Dust Storm4Heavy Snow43Flash Flood71
NOAA Storm Events Database, McKinley County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 13 deaths recorded.

McKinley County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 5, 2020BiologicalDR-4529: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3460: Covid-19
October 29, 2013FloodDR-4152: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides
September 13, 2010FloodDR-1936: Severe Storms And Flooding
August 30, 2006Severe StormDR-1659: Severe Storms And Flooding

Jobs and pay in McKinley County

McKinley County had 19,500 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,226 a year. Unemployment was 5.2% in 2023; in Thoreau itself the ACS puts it at 10.8%.

Largest industries in McKinley CountyHealth care & social assistan…3,272 jobs · $35,899Retail3,222 jobs · $31,861Hotels & restaurants2,543 jobs · $22,444Construction592 jobs · $50,615Other services463 jobs · $35,750Wholesale trade428 jobs · $42,567
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in McKinley County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023McKinley 5.2%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Thoreau

3 public schools with 1,180 students, about 20.0 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
THOREAU HIGH9-1248822.2
THOREAU ELEMENTARYPK-538517.5
THOREAU MIDDLE6-830720.5

Towns near Thoreau

Thoreau questions

Is Thoreau, New Mexico a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Thoreau scores better for retirees than 5% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 42%. 18.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.8).

How much does a house cost in Thoreau?

The median owner-occupied home in Thoreau is valued at $95,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,469, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $483 a month.

What is the weather like in Thoreau?

July highs average 88.7°F and January lows 12.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.2 inches of precipitation a year and 30.6 inches of snow.

Does Thoreau get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Thoreau in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Thoreau's Census boundary (GEOID 3577530). Comparisons use the median of New Mexico towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.