Eddy County saw steady growth over the last decade, gaining over 8,400 people since 2010 according to local area 2020 U.S. Census data released Thursday.
According to the U.S. Census data, Eddy County grew 15.8 percent, the highest growth rate in the state, with a total population of 62,314 as of 2020. Eddy County’s population in 2010 was 53,829 according to the U.S. Census.
The city of Carlsbad saw the largest growth in the county, 5,900 of the 8,400 new people in Eddy County reside in the city.
Carlsbad’s population went from 26,251 people in 2010 to 32,238 in 2020, Census data shows.
Neighboring Lea County saw similar growth at a rate of 15 percent, going from 64,726 people in the 2010 Census to 74,455 in the 2020 Census.
Counties and states may begin redistricting based on the recent Census’ data, which can lead to shifts in districts represented by lawmakers.
About 92.7 percent of people in Eddy County identify as White, 50.5 percent identify as Hispanic or Latino, 2 percent identify as Black or African American, 2.4 percent identify as American Indian and Alaska Native and less than one percent identify as Asian, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Over one-third of people in Eddy County are under 18 years old and 7.3 percent are under the age of 5.
Artesia’s population also saw growth going from 11,513 people in the 2010 Census to 12,875 in the 2020 Census.
The Villages of Hope and Loving saw decreases in population according to the U.S. Census Bureau City and Town Population Totals. Hope went from 105 people in the 2010 Census to 104 people in the 2020 Census.
Loving’s population rose from 1,380 in the 2010 Census to 1,423 in 2015 before falling to 1,372 in the 2020 Census.
The median household income in Eddy County is $65,328 and 11.2 percent of people in the county live bellow the national poverty level, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
New Mexico’s population grew 2.8 percent from 2,059,179 people in 2010 to 2,117,522 in 2020. Surrounding states such as Texas and Colorado grew more than 14 percent according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Claudia Silva is a reporter from the UNM Local Reporting Fellowship. She can be reached at csilva2@currentargus.com, by phone at (575) 628-5506 or on Twitter @thewatchpup.
