The Town FilesTortugas, New Mexico
Community in Doña Ana County · population 579 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $83,200
- Household income
- $31,554
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 55.1
Tortugas is a community of 579 people in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $83,200, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks more walkable than 100% of New Mexico towns, more vibrant than 100% of New Mexico towns, more of a college town than 96% of New Mexico towns.
How Tortugas 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 Tortugas is worth $83,200, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $31,554, which is more affordable than 72% of New Mexico towns. 67.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tortugas | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $83,200 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | — | $916 |
| Median household income | $31,554 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 67.9% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Tortugas
| People | Tortugas | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.1 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.8% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 0.0% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.0% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | — min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.7% | 82.9% |
Weather in Tortugas
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 Tortugas since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F0, struck on September 13, 2006 about 5.6 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 45 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 Tortugas itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Tortugas
- University Park, NM0.7 mi · 3,007 people · home —
- San Pablo, NM1.4 mi · 858 people · home $273,300
- Mesilla, NM3.2 mi · 1,797 people · home $301,400
- Las Cruces, NM4.4 mi · 111,385 people · home $231,700
- Fairacres, NM5.4 mi · 720 people · home $279,200
- San Ysidro, NM6.9 mi · 2,133 people · home $335,300
- Picacho Hills, NM7.9 mi · 1,864 people · home $456,400
- Mesquite, NM8.1 mi · 984 people · home $96,400
Tortugas questions
Is Tortugas, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tortugas scores better for retirees than 10% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 0%. 16.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 55.1).
How much does a house cost in Tortugas?
The median owner-occupied home in Tortugas is valued at $83,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $31,554, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Tortugas?
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 Tortugas get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tortugas 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)