CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

32.77° N · 103.12° W · GEOID 3552500

North Hobbs

Lea County, New Mexico · part of the Hobbs, NM metro

New MexicoNorth Hobbs, NMNorth HobbsNorth Hobbs

The short answer

North Hobbs is home to 6,034 people. Median household income is $82,554 a year and median rent is $1,319 a month, 19.2% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $264,400, about 3.2x annual median household income.

The story in North Hobbs is how fast things are changing. Housing became less affordable between 2019 and 2024: rent went from 17.2% to 19.2% of income. Also notable: Home value growth is 7.3% a year, against 11.7% a year in its closest peers.

26OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Below average

North Hobbs scores better than 26% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 28th of 43 in New Mexico.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%65
Economy 20%40
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%8
Education 10%4
Commute 10%78
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,319
3% below the median place
Median household income
$82,554
3% above the median place
Median home value
$264,400
17% below the median place
Unemployment
6.1%
25% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about North Hobbs

  • Who lives here12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, a smaller share than in 93% of the 2,473 places under 10,000 people we track.
01

Moving to North Hobbs

Lea County loses about 4.4 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in2,359
Moved out2,602
Net−243

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Lubbock County, TX114256−142
Midland County, TX69146−77

Within New Mexico, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within New MexicoOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$49K
Leavers$63K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Lea County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
5.4% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.7% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Lea County report $48,600 a year in income on average; those leaving, $62,900, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$52,800 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,319 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,767 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $264,400.
Getting to work
21 minutes each way on average; 3.7% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Alvarado, TX matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Income of households moving in6
$48,589
31% below the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people6
-4.4
below the median place (median -0.6)
Moved from another state1
2.7%
34% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureNorth HobbsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure5.4%6% below
Moved from another state1County figure2.7%34% above
Net movers per 1,000 people6County figure-4.4below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in6County figure$48,58931% below
Income of households moving out6County figure$62,94410% below
02

What it costs to live here

Homeowners pay a median of about 0.5% of home value a year in property tax, less than in 89% of the 2,266 places under 10,000 people we track.

North Hobbs19.2%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$52,760
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
19.2%
6% below the median place
Home price to income
3.2x
16% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
19%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$67,200
a year, prices not adjusted
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in North Hobbs, $1,319 a month. It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like North Hobbs, but easier on the budget

Places that match North Hobbs on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Alvarado, TX8911.7% vs 19.2%n/aCompare
Muleshoe, TX8716.3% vs 19.2%n/aCompare
Nephi, UT8311.4% vs 19.2%n/aCompare
Zuni Pueblo, NM8215.4% vs 19.2%n/aCompare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in North Hobbs.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to North Hobbs? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Property tax rate1
0.5%
47% below the median place
Renters paying 30%+1
36.5%
28% below the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$1,274
61% below the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureNorth HobbsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,3193% below
Rent to income119.2%6% below
Property tax rate10.5%47% below
Home price to income13.2x16% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms2County figure$1,32718% below
HUD area median income3County figure$92,20014% below
Property tax paid (median)1$1,27461% below
Median home value1$264,40017% below
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure6.2%94% above
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure31.5%39% below
Homeownership185.7%29% above
Renters paying 30%+136.5%28% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,7676% below
Vacant homes19.7%37% above
Median year built119870% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Mean commute1
21 min
18% below the median place
Income per person1
$31,262
22% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Unemployment6.1% +25%
Poverty rate12.8% +18%
Median household income$82,554 +3%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureNorth HobbsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$82,5543% above
Income per person1$31,26222% below
Unemployment16.1%25% above
Average annual pay5County figure$71,7479% above
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure3.5%5% below
Jobs5County figure34,04777% below
Poverty rate112.8%18% above
Mean commute121 min18% below
Works from home1County figure3.7%70% below
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Households average 3.40 people, larger than than in 96% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track.

Household size1
3.4
36% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
12.1%
62% below the median place
No health insurance1
18.1%
183% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

High school or higher79.0% −14%
Median age31.7 −19%
Born abroad18.1% 2.0×
Homes with broadband89.8% −3%
All 8 people measures
MeasureNorth HobbsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population16,0345918th largest
Median age131.719% below
Bachelor's or higher112.1%62% below
High school or higher179.0%14% below
Household size13.436% above
Born abroad118.1%105% above
No health insurance118.1%183% above
Homes with broadband189.8%3% below
05

Life in North Hobbs

OpenStreetMap shows 0 grocery stores per 10,000 residents, fewer than in 84% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 46 New Mexico places we track.

6 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents3.3 −67%
Playgrounds per 10k3.3 −65%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k6.6 −41%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Carlsbad Caverns National Park 87 miles
  • Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness 116 miles
  • Guadalupe Mountains National Park 118 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars19.0 −9%
Shops32.5 +7%
Arts, recreation and fitness1.8 −56%
Doctors' offices and clinics10.4 −49%
Child care centers2.2 −4%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site9
87.4
184% above the median place
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k7
1.8
56% below the median place
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k7
10.4
49% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureNorth HobbsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure38322% above
Public school students11County figure15,126209% above
Students per teacher11County figure16.36% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k7County figure19.09% below
Shops per 10k7County figure32.57% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k7County figure1.856% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k7County figure10.449% below
Child care centers per 10k7County figure2.24% below
Parks per 10k83.367% below
Playgrounds per 10k83.365% below
Grocery stores per 10k80.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k86.641% below
Libraries per 10k80.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails80.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi80.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site987.4184% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles90below (median 2)
National Register listings10County figure654% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Annual precipitation is 14.6 in, 67% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached North Hobbs. Larger places are fetched first.

Annual precipitation12
14.6 in
67% below the median place
July average high12
94°F
8% above the median place
Wildfire risk13
98.0
60% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureNorth HobbsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure94°F8% above
January average low12County figure27°F6% above
Average temperature12County figure61°F11% above
Annual precipitation12County figure14.6 in67% below
Natural hazard risk13County figure86.07% below
Hurricane risk13County figure39.844% below
Tornado risk13County figure54.533% below
Wildfire risk13County figure98.060% above
Heat wave risk13County figure77.514% below
Median air quality index14County figure442% above
Good air days14County figure68.8%0% above
08

North Hobbs in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 19% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 19% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, North Hobbs does better than 64% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 29%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,319/mo (2024)$1,690/mo$1,390 to $2,060/mo+4.2%
Median household income$82,554 (2024)$104,500$88,000 to $123,500+4.0%
Median home value$264,400 (2024)$374,000$272,000 to $515,000+6.0%

The median home would be worth 3.6 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.2 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like North Hobbs

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Goshen, CA$1,231$73,125Compare
Marengo, IL$1,176$73,523Compare
Temple, GA$1,384$91,180Compare
Elko, NV$1,267$79,036Compare
Elko, NVTemple, GAMarengo, ILGoshen, CANorth Hobbs, NMNorth HobbsGoshenMarengoTempleElkoNorth HobbsGoshenMarengoTempleElko

Places built like North Hobbs

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how North Hobbs performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
North Hobbs, NM19.2%3.3%/yrn/a
El Cerro Mission, NM31.3%9.1%/yrn/aCompare
Zuni Pueblo, NM15.4%2.8%/yrn/aCompare
Franklin, CA28.8%2.5%/yrn/aCompare
Temple, GA18.2%9.2%/yr32.0%Compare
Harrisville, UT18.6%3.6%/yr1.1%Compare
Homeland, CA32.5%4.2%/yrn/aCompare

Common questions

Is North Hobbs a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 26 out of 100, better than 26% of the places we rate and 28th of 43 in New Mexico. 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, a smaller share than in 93% of the 2,473 places under 10,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 89 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is North Hobbs expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 19.2% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $264,400.

What salary do you need to live in North Hobbs?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $52,760 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to North Hobbs?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Goshen, CA, Marengo, IL, Temple, GA and Elko, NV.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  3. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  7. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  8. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  9. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  14. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares North Hobbs with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for North Hobbs itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/north-hobbs-new-mexico

Citytistics. “North Hobbs, New Mexico.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/north-hobbs-new-mexico/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.