County profile · New Mexico
Lea County, NM market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Lea County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 74,749
- +0.2% since 2020
- Households
- 24,670
- Median household income
- $68,015
- +12.3% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $184,000
- Jobs located here
- 33,256
- Highest market score
- 76
- Pet businesses, #143 of 2,200 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Lea County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Lea County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 74,749 people live in Lea County, in 24,670 households. Population estimates show Lea County grew 0.2% from 2020 to 2025, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in Lea County is $68,015 a year, 16% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 12.3% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Lea County spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 117, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on clothing, shoes and related services (82).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Lea County are for pet businesses (76), martial arts and dance studios (73) and veterinarians (73). Lea County ranks #143 of 2,200 scored counties for pet businesses.
Lea County is part of the Hobbs area. For its number of households, Lea County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for gas stations (3 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for medical and dental practices (48% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Lea County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Lea County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pet businesses | 76 | #143 of 2,200 | 23 | 9.3 | $969K | 110 | 5 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 73 | #106 of 1,334 | 7 | 2.8 | $3.4M | 170 | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | 73 | #210 of 1,485 | 6 | 2.4 | $3.7M | 137 | 5 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 72 | #173 of 1,461 | 5 | 2.0 | $4.5M | 175 | Under 3 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 71 | #237 of 2,088 | 32 | 13.0 | $750K | 113 | 4 |
| Hair salons | 71 | #263 of 2,339 | 41 | 16.6 | $561K | 130 | 4 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 69 | #252 of 2,176 | 45 | 18.2 | Index only | 169 | 4 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 65 | #291 of 1,302 | 5 | 2.0 | $6M | 190 | 4 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 65 | #335 of 1,771 | 13 | 5.3 | $2.3M | 138 | 17 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 64 | #367 of 1,493 | 9 | 3.6 | $3.3M | 114 | 7 |
| Real estate | 61 | #549 of 2,229 | 58 | 23.5 | Index only | 166 | 20 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 61 | #704 of 2,394 | 108 | 43.8 | $276K | 181 | 42 |
| Roofing and gutters | 59 | #379 of 1,177 | 5 | 2.0 | $12.8M | 151 | 4 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 58 | #595 of 1,656 | 17 | 6.9 | $1.8M | 98 | 13 |
| Gyms | 58 | #626 of 1,792 | 24 | 9.7 | $1M | 77 | 4 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 58 | #656 of 1,886 | 23 | 9.3 | $1.3M | 132 | 11 |
| Grocery stores | 58 | #741 of 2,070 | 13 | 5.3 | $10.9M | 117 | 9 |
| Child care and preschools | 57 | #625 of 1,611 | 14 | 5.7 | $1.1M | 107 | 16 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 55 | #910 of 2,385 | 99 | 40.1 | $232K | 109 | 9 |
| Pet stores | 54 | #411 of 974 | 5 | 2.0 | $4.5M | 99 | Under 3 |
| Chiropractors | 53 | #655 of 1,490 | 12 | 4.9 | $2.5M | 104 | 6 |
| Property management | 51 | #422 of 910 | 7 | 2.8 | Index only | 107 | 11 |
| Pizza | 49 | #1,060 of 2,090 | 16 | 6.5 | $5.6M | 111 | 56 |
| Spas and skin care | 46 | #1,017 of 1,769 | 22 | 8.9 | $1M | 119 | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | 43 | #895 of 1,328 | 18 | 7.3 | $1.3M | 77 | 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 41 | #1,577 of 2,402 | 82 | 33.2 | $1.7M | 51 | 11 |
| Insurance agencies | 40 | #1,449 of 2,272 | 36 | 14.6 | $1.4M | 110 | 28 |
| Car washes and detailing | 39 | #1,005 of 1,451 | 13 | 5.3 | $2.1M | 84 | 7 |
| Auto repair shops | 39 | #1,708 of 2,378 | 76 | 30.8 | $363K | 82 | 31 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 36 | #986 of 1,327 | 13 | 5.3 | $2.1M | 69 | 9 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 35 | #1,364 of 1,707 | 19 | 7.7 | $3.4M | 71 | 22 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 35 | #1,669 of 2,222 | 37 | 15.0 | $2.4M | 80 | 56 |
| Auto repair and car care | 35 | #1,847 of 2,401 | 126 | 51.1 | $219K | 81 | 49 |
| Funeral homes | 34 | #1,119 of 1,472 | 7 | 2.8 | $429K | 63 | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 34 | #1,504 of 1,889 | 24 | 9.7 | $3.7M | 90 | 20 |
| Barbershops | 33 | #1,055 of 1,356 | 17 | 6.9 | $1.4M | 72 | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | 33 | #1,190 of 1,530 | 20 | 8.1 | $1.4M | 55 | 7 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 31 | #2,017 of 2,405 | 176 | 71.3 | $511K | 77 | 47 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 30 | #1,746 of 2,063 | 31 | 12.6 | $2.9M | 78 | 20 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 29 | #413 of 479 | 5 | 2.0 | $5.5M | 40 | 3 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 29 | #2,072 of 2,405 | 291 | 118.0 | $309K | 83 | 128 |
| Home repair trades | 24 | #1,947 of 2,057 | 42 | 17.0 | $1.5M | 63 | 54 |
| Convenience stores | 23 | #1,982 of 2,261 | 53 | 21.5 | $2.7M | 34 | Under 3 |
| Gas stations | 23 | #2,173 of 2,358 | 80 | 32.4 | $883K | 37 | 39 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 18 | #2,118 of 2,210 | 85 | 34.5 | $490K | 56 | 31 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 17 | #1,998 of 2,087 | 64 | 25.9 | $651K | 51 | 28 |
| Laundromats | 16 | #736 of 785 | 7 | 2.8 | $6M | 48 | 3 |
| Electricians | 14 | #1,136 of 1,160 | 18 | 7.3 | $3.6M | 30 | 28 |
| Dry cleaners | 7 | #504 of 507 | 7 | 2.8 | $6M | 38 | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.6 | Index only | 266 | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.2 | $10M | 98 | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.2 | $9.9M | 413 | 8 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.8 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.4 | $30.1M | Too few | 10 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.4 | $29.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.4 | $24M | Too few | 4 |
Household spending in Lea County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $27.6M | $1,118 | 117 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $70.7M | $2,864 | 110 |
| Food away from home | $89.9M | $3,645 | 90 |
| Groceries | $141.7M | $5,745 | 91 |
| Personal care products and services | $23M | $933 | 93 |
| Child care and other personal services | $15.1M | $611 | 105 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $24M | $973 | 99 |
| Medical and dental services | $29.8M | $1,206 | 94 |
| Pets | $22.3M | $903 | 99 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $41.7M | $1,689 | 82 |
| Vehicle insurance | $49.7M | $2,016 | 103 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $64M | $2,593 | 86 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $30.1M | $1,221 | 86 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $415.8M | $16,856 | 101 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Lea County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 74,749+0.2% since 2020
- Households
- 24,670
- Median age
- 32.5
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 71%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.0
- Land area
- 4,392 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 17
- Median household income
- $68,015+12.3% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $91,389
- Median home value
- $184,000
- Jobs located here
- 33,256
- Daytime population
- 77,341Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Lea County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Lea County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in New Mexico 8
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- Chaves County, NM64,217 people
- Roosevelt County, NM18,928 people
- Curry County, NM47,638 people
- De Baca County, NM1,576 people
- Lincoln County, NM20,224 people
- Otero County, NM68,816 people
- Quay County, NM8,564 people
Questions
How fast is Lea County, NM growing?
Population estimates put Lea County at 74,749 people in 2025, up 0.2% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 24,670 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 12.3%, before inflation.
How much do households in Lea County, NM spend?
Households in Lea County spend about $415.8M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $141.7M on groceries and $89.9M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Lea County runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 117, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on clothing, shoes and related services (82).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Lea County, NM?
Of the business types scored in Lea County, pet businesses (76), martial arts and dance studios (73) and veterinarians (73) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For pet businesses, that ranks #143 of 2,200 scored counties.
How does Lea County, NM compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Lea County is $68,015, 16% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 0.2% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $184,000, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for gas stations (3 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for medical and dental practices (48% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 49 of the 56 business types have a score in Lea County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Lea County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Lea County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Lea County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.