Market rankings · New Mexico
Sit-down restaurants in New Mexico
Every metro area, small-town market and county in New Mexico, ranked by the Groundwork market score for sit-down restaurants, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 4,436
- 1,418 chain locations (32%)
- Official establishments
- 1,329
- −3.5% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $3B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 53.0
- 14% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $670K
- In line with the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #37 of 51
- Market score 41 · Lower middle
A site report maps the sit-down restaurants on map listings around any address in New Mexico by name and distance, and the spending within reach.
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
There are 4,436 sit-down restaurants on map listings in New Mexico as of September 2026. Of those, 1,418 are chain locations, or 32%, against 29% across the U.S. That comes to 53.0 for every 10,000 households, 14% below the U.S. rate of 61.3.
At $3,547 per household (13% below the U.S. average), households in New Mexico spend about $3B a year on food away from home. That works out to $670K per restaurant, in line with the U.S. figure of $664K. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only sit-down restaurants.
In 2023, official counts showed 1,329 businesses with payroll in New Mexico classed as full-service restaurants, down 3.5% from 2019. That is one for every 630 households, against one for every 500 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 1.5% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 46 SBA-backed loans worth $25.5M have gone to businesses classed as full-service restaurants in New Mexico.
Among the 50 states and DC, New Mexico ranks #37 for sit-down restaurants, with a Groundwork market score of 41 (lower middle). Of the 4 scored metro areas in or partly in New Mexico, the Las Cruces metro area scores highest (65). Of the 13 scored small-town markets in or partly in New Mexico, the Los Alamos area scores highest (86).
Every market in New Mexico for sit-down restaurants
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in New Mexico, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.
Metro areas
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Las Cruces, NM | 65 | 355 | 41.8 | $783K | +4.1% | #79 of 387 |
| 2Albuquerque, NM | 58 | 1,907 | 50.7 | $732K | +0.8% | #127 of 387 |
| 3Farmington, NM | 46 | 196 | 47.0 | $704K | −0.9% | #221 of 387 |
| 4Santa Fe, NM | 30 | 492 | 69.5 | $577K | +1.2% | #344 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Los Alamos, NM | 86 | 35 | 42.4 | $1.3M | 0.0% | #6 of 538 |
| 2Alamogordo, NM | 70 | 100 | 40.8 | $803K | +3.7% | #74 of 538 |
| 3Española, NM | 68 | 54 | 34.5 | $964K | −1.0% | #85 of 538 |
| 4Las Vegas, NM | 59 | 45 | 32.4 | $942K | −3.2% | #170 of 538 |
| 5Carlsbad-Artesia, NM | 58 | 141 | 59.7 | $645K | +0.3% | #190 of 538 |
| 6Hobbs, NM | 37 | 176 | 71.3 | $511K | +0.2% | #412 of 538 |
| 7Clovis, NM | 28 | 139 | 53.4 | $595K | −3.3% | #472 of 538 |
| 8Roswell, NM | 28 | 129 | 54.4 | $581K | −2.7% | #475 of 538 |
| 9Deming, NM | 26 | 56 | 60.7 | $443K | −0.2% | #494 of 538 |
| 10Taos, NM | 24 | 109 | 70.1 | $487K | +0.3% | #502 of 538 |
| 11Gallup, NM | 20 | 112 | 52.5 | $568K | −6.1% | #520 of 538 |
| 12Silver City, NM | 19 | 63 | 55.8 | $549K | −3.4% | #526 of 538 |
| 13Ruidoso, NM | 10 | 99 | 99.0 | $324K | −2.3% | #536 of 538 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Sandoval County, NM | 92 | 160 | 28.1 | $1.4M | +6.9% | #11 of 2,405 |
| 2Los Alamos County, NM | 80 | 35 | 42.4 | $1.3M | 0.0% | #124 of 2,405 |
| 3Valencia County, NM | 74 | 97 | 35.2 | $952K | +7.2% | #275 of 2,405 |
| 4Torrance County, NM | 69 | 23 | 38.0 | $836K | +6.9% | #410 of 2,405 |
| 5Otero County, NM | 62 | 100 | 40.8 | $803K | +3.7% | #674 of 2,405 |
| 6Rio Arriba County, NM | 61 | 54 | 34.5 | $964K | −1.0% | #695 of 2,405 |
| 7Doña Ana County, NM | 61 | 355 | 41.8 | $783K | +4.1% | #713 of 2,405 |
| 8San Miguel County, NM | 51 | 39 | 32.7 | $933K | −3.2% | #1,114 of 2,405 |
| 9Eddy County, NM | 48 | 141 | 59.7 | $645K | +0.3% | #1,283 of 2,405 |
| 10San Juan County, NM | 47 | 196 | 47.0 | $704K | −0.9% | #1,314 of 2,405 |
| 11Roosevelt County, NM | 45 | 28 | 37.6 | $808K | −2.8% | #1,397 of 2,405 |
| 12Bernalillo County, NM | 43 | 1,627 | 57.0 | $647K | −1.4% | #1,499 of 2,405 |
| 13Cibola County, NM | 39 | 38 | 44.7 | $681K | −0.6% | #1,678 of 2,405 |
| 14Santa Fe County, NM | 36 | 492 | 69.5 | $577K | +1.2% | #1,808 of 2,405 |
| 15Lea County, NM | 31 | 176 | 71.3 | $511K | +0.2% | #2,017 of 2,405 |
| 16Chaves County, NM | 25 | 129 | 54.4 | $581K | −2.7% | #2,195 of 2,405 |
| 17Luna County, NM | 22 | 56 | 60.7 | $443K | −0.2% | #2,278 of 2,405 |
| 18Taos County, NM | 20 | 109 | 70.1 | $487K | +0.3% | #2,308 of 2,405 |
| 19Curry County, NM | 19 | 111 | 59.7 | $541K | −3.5% | #2,320 of 2,405 |
| 20McKinley County, NM | 18 | 112 | 52.5 | $568K | −6.1% | #2,340 of 2,405 |
| 21Grant County, NM | 18 | 63 | 55.8 | $549K | −3.4% | #2,341 of 2,405 |
| 22Sierra County, NM | 11 | 32 | 58.8 | $461K | −1.4% | #2,389 of 2,405 |
| 23Colfax County, NM | 9 | 46 | 85.7 | $364K | −1.4% | #2,398 of 2,405 |
| 24Socorro County, NM | 8 | 27 | 51.2 | $539K | −4.3% | #2,400 of 2,405 |
| 25Lincoln County, NM | 8 | 99 | 99.0 | $324K | −2.3% | #2,401 of 2,405 |
Show all 33 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quay County, NM | Not scored | 30 | 68.4 | $439K | −3.0% | |
| Guadalupe County, NM | Not scored | 14 | 94.0 | $342K | −2.2% | |
| Mora County, NM | Not scored | 6 | 30.5 | $996K | −3.3% | |
| Hidalgo County, NM | Not scored | 13 | 88.0 | $348K | −5.6% | |
| Union County, NM | Not scored | 13 | 90.4 | $335K | −5.5% | |
| Catron County, NM | Not scored | 9 | 50.3 | $560K | +6.1% | |
| De Baca County, NM | Not scored | 5 | 61.0 | $487K | −2.4% | |
| Harding County, NM | Not scored | 1 | 35.0 | $966K | −5.4% |
Markets with fewer than 5 sit-down restaurants on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many sit-down restaurants are in New Mexico?
As of September 2026, map listings count 4,436 sit-down restaurants in New Mexico. 1,418 of them (32%) are chain locations. The listings count restaurants of every cuisine, pizza included. Official counts show 1,329 businesses with payroll classed as full-service restaurants in 2023, down 3.5% from 2019. Official counts list 286 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in New Mexico spend on food away from home?
About $3B a year, or $3,547 per household. That is 13% below the U.S. average (an index of 87, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 4,436 sit-down restaurants on map listings, it comes to $670K per restaurant. That spending covers all food away from home, which sit-down restaurants share with other businesses in the trade. It is estimated from the incomes of the 837,414 households in New Mexico and national spending patterns by income.
How does New Mexico compare with the U.S. for sit-down restaurants?
New Mexico has 53.0 sit-down restaurants per 10,000 households, 14% below the U.S. rate of 61.3. Spending per restaurant is $670K, in line with the U.S. figure of $664K. At the U.S. ratio of sit-down restaurants to household spending, New Mexico would have about 4,475, against 4,436 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 630 households, against one for every 500 across the U.S. The official count fell 3.5% from 2019 to 2023, against +1.5% for the U.S.
Which market in New Mexico has the highest market score for sit-down restaurants?
Among 4 scored metro areas in or partly in New Mexico, the Las Cruces metro area scores highest, at 65 (upper middle). Among 13 scored small-town markets in or partly in New Mexico, the Los Alamos area scores highest, at 86 (high). Among 25 scored counties in New Mexico, Sandoval County scores highest, at 92 (very high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.
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. New Mexico scores 41 for sit-down restaurants (lower middle), #37 of the 50 states and DC.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in New Mexico. It maps the sit-down restaurants 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.
Sit-down restaurants in other states
All 51 states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for sit-down restaurants across the U.S. · All business types in New Mexico
Related business types in New Mexico
- Restaurants and cafes8,110 listings
- Fast food and sandwich shops1,081 listings
- Pizza497 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes999 listings
- Bakeries and dessert shops690 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in New Mexico?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
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.