CEDSSummary Background People & Communities
Household Income
The county profiles reveal where household resources differ—and why one regional average is not enough.
- Earning Potential
- Household Resources
- Economic Opportunity
Income Distribution Across Southeastern New Mexico
Each bar represents the share of households in one county that fall within the selected annual income band. Select a different band to see how the five county profiles change. The denominator is all households in that county, so these are percentages, not household counts, a median income, or a measure of what a typical worker earns.
The share below $50,000 ranges from 34% in Eddy County to 49% in Otero County, a 15-percentage-point difference. Lea reports 45%, Lincoln 47%, and Chaves 48%. In the $100,000–$200,000 band, Eddy reports 30%, Lea 23%, Otero 21%, and Chaves and Lincoln 18% each. These comparisons show that upper- and lower-income households coexist within the regional economy.
Household income may combine wages, retirement income, and other sources across more than one earner. It does not show household size, cost of living, wealth, or whether a family can afford local housing and care. Use the chart to locate questions for deeper analysis, not to infer why a county differs or whether its households are financially secure.
Compare the Evidence
Household Income Distribution
Choose a measure and comparison order to explore the values. Bars start at zero; values remain visible beside every bar.
Under $50,000 · A consistent zero-based scale makes the differences visible.
Reference year not specified. These shares are historical context, not current estimates. Income-band labels reflect the stated categories; rounded shares may not total 100%.
View All Values in a Table
| Area / Organization | Under $50,000 | $50,000-$100,000 | $100,000-$200,000 | Over $200,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otero | 49% | 27% | 21% | 3% |
| Chaves | 48% | 29% | 18% | 4% |
| Lincoln | 47% | 30% | 18% | 5% |
| Lea | 45% | 24% | 23% | 8% |
| Eddy | 34% | 27% | 30% | 10% |
Eddy County
34%Under $50,000Eddy has the smallest share in the lowest displayed band. It also has the largest share in the $100,000–$200,000 band (30%); neither figure describes every household.
Lea County
45%Under $50,000Nearly half of reported households fall in the lowest band, while 23% are in the $100,000–$200,000 band. The same county contains very different income circumstances.
Chaves & Otero
48% / 49%Under $50,000These are the two highest reported shares below $50,000. Compare them with local wages, housing costs, and household needs before choosing an intervention.
Lincoln County
47%Under $50,000Lincoln's share is close to Chaves and Otero, while 30% fall in the $50,000–$100,000 band. Income mix should be read with age and housing patterns.
Key Insights
These are the regional patterns to carry forward from the county comparison. Each finding describes a share of households—not a count of people or a trend over time.
A Large Lower-Income Band
In every county, at least one in three reported households falls below $50,000. A regional average would conceal how widely this band varies.
A Meaningful County Gap
The under-$50,000 share is 34% in Eddy and 49% in Otero—a 15-percentage-point difference. The chart identifies the gap; it does not explain its cause.
Eddy's Upper-Middle Share
Eddy has the region's largest reported share in the $100,000–$200,000 band. Chaves and Lincoln are at 18% each, showing a different income mix.
The Highest Band Is Small
The share above $200,000 ranges from 3% in Otero to 10% in Eddy. This snapshot cannot tell us whether households are moving into higher bands over time.
What This Means for Planning
The chart identifies differences in reported household resources. Planning decisions need the next layer of evidence: what jobs pay, what essentials cost, and which residents can reach available opportunities.
Match Strategies to Local Conditions
Different distributions call for locally grounded responses. Use employer demand, training access, business formation, and housing costs to identify the barriers behind each county's pattern. A higher upper-income share in Eddy does not remove the needs of its lower-income households.
Expand Access to Opportunity
Income bands describe household resources, not the availability of good jobs or the cost of reaching them. Pair this profile with wages, childcare, transportation, education, and housing data. Ask residents and employers which barriers are most consequential before setting priorities.
Track Change and Resilience
One historical snapshot cannot establish whether households are moving between income bands. Update the comparison with a clearly dated source, then monitor earnings, living costs, credentials, and business opportunities over time. That evidence can show whether growth is reaching more residents.