Las Cruces is a city located in Doña Ana County New Mexico. Las Cruces has a 2024 population of 115,956. Las Cruces is currently growing at a rate of 0.93% annually and its population has increased by 3.81% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 111,698 in 2020.
The average household income in Las Cruces is $68,261 with a poverty rate of 23.12%. The median age in Las Cruces is 31.8 years: 31 years for males, and 32.8 years for females.
“The City of the Crosses” serves as the county seat of Dona Ana County, where it is also the most populous city.
Las Cruces is known for its culture, hosting many annual cultural events every year that brings in visitors from around the country. The city is also home to New Mexico State University, which draws in a large student population. The city’s population has seen nothing but growth since its incorporation. Increase since the 1930s has been in the double-digit percentages at each 10-year census. Current estimates show that the population now exceeds 100,000 and is up over 4% since the last census in 2010, indicating that this city still has plenty of growing left to do in its future.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Las Cruces was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 69,043 | 62.05% |
| Two or more races | 19,229 | 17.28% |
| Other race | 15,799 | 14.2% |
| Black or African American | 3,114 | 2.8% |
| Asian | 2,037 | 1.83% |
| Native American | 1,753 | 1.58% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 298 | 0.27% |
White
Two or more races
Other race
Black or African American
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 45,297 | 2.43 | 53.8 | 46.2 |
| Non Family | 19,772 | 1.31 | 39.7 | 60.3 |
| Married | 15,871 | 3.26 | 76.3 | 23.7 |
| Female | 6,483 | 3.45 | 42.5 | 57.5 |
| Male | 3,171 | 3.11 | 52.6 | 47.4 |
3.16
Average Family Size
2.43
Average Household Size
53.8%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 4,417 | 6.49% |
| Associates Degree | 5,893 | 8.66% |
| Bachelors Degree | 13,388 | 19.68% |
| Graduate Degree | 11,300 | 16.61% |
| High School Graduate | 13,877 | 20.4% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 3,980 | 5.85% |
| Some College | 15,162 | 22.29% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 37,420 | 31,163 | 9,691 |
| White | 25,849 | 24,545 | 12,841 |
| 2+ Races | 10,515 | 9,266 | 3,490 |
| Other Race | 9,005 | 6,686 | 1,441 |
| Black | 1,911 | 1,550 | 829 |
| Asian | 1,349 | 1,141 | 901 |
| Native American | 1,072 | 759 | 250 |
| Islander | 125 | 108 | 55 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 94.96%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 66.79%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $43,621 | $52,350 | $37,653 |
| Graduate Degree | $63,532 | $70,032 | $61,971 |
| High School Graduate | $30,439 | $32,652 | $25,825 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $16,915 | $28,528 | $11,821 |
| Overall | $37,087 | $38,569 | $35,631 |
| Some College | $33,708 | $34,731 | $32,038 |
$37,087
Average Earnings
$38,569
Average Male
$35,631
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
63.76% of Las Cruces residents speak only English, while 36.24% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 32.68% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 68,120 | 17,596 | 25.83% |
| White | 34,489 | 5,198 | 15.07% |
| Other | 15,723 | 4,131 | 26.27% |
| Multiple | 19,000 | 4,042 | 21.27% |
| Asian | 2,036 | 920 | 45.19% |
| Black | 3,068 | 844 | 27.51% |
| Native | 1,710 | 648 | 37.89% |
| Islander | 278 | 42 | 15.11% |
23.12%
Overall Poverty Rate
20.89%
Male Poverty Rate
25.25%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Las Cruces is Asian, with 45.19% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Las Cruces is White, with 15.07% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 5.67%. Among those working part-time, it was 33.66%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 28.97%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 44.61% |
| Some College | 19.02% |
| High School | 16.88% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 7.24% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 45.91% |
| Male Unemployed | 44.86% |
| Female Employed | 19.95% |
| Male Employed | 11.94% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $60,507 | $81,446 |
| Households | $51,013 | $68,261 |
| Married Families | $85,335 | $103,095 |
| Non Families | $32,215 | $47,039 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
37.4%
Overall Marriage Rate
38.4%
Male Marriage Rate
36.5%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
7,995
Number of Veterans
6,916
Male Veterans
1,079
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Second Gulf War | 2,831 |
| Vietnam | 2,361 |
| First Gulf War | 1,762 |
| Korea | 518 |
| World War II | 66 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 2,242 |
| 75+ | 1,630 |
| 65 to 74 | 1,593 |
| 55 to 64 | 1,512 |
| 18 to 34 | 1,018 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 6,030 | 10.91% |
| Hispanic | 3,302 | 6.74% |
| 2+ Races | 760 | 5.82% |
| Other Race | 623 | 5.37% |
| Black | 320 | 13.15% |
| Native American | 138 | 10.94% |
| Asian | 124 | 7.62% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
8.55%
Veteran Poverty Rate
30.43%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
59.5%
Labor Force Participation
54.7%
Employment Rate
7.5%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
50.24%
Born in Las Cruces
89.32%
Native Born
10.68%
Foreign Born
5.9%
Non Citizen
4.79%
Naturalized
89.32% of Las Cruces residents were born in the United States, with 50.24% having been born in New Mexico. 5.9% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 121,280 | 1,065 | 0.89% |
| 2028 | 120,215 | 1,065 | 0.89% |
| 2027 | 119,150 | 1,064 | 0.9% |
| 2026 | 118,086 | 1,065 | 0.91% |
| 2025 | 117,021 | 1,065 | 0.92% |
| 2024 | 115,956 | 1,064 | 0.93% |
| 2023 | 114,892 | 920 | 0.81% |
| 2022 | 113,972 | 1,093 | 0.97% |
| 2021 | 112,879 | 1,181 | 1.06% |
| 2020 | 111,698 | 7,998 | 7.71% |
| 2019 | 103,700 | 852 | 0.83% |
| 2018 | 102,848 | 899 | 0.88% |
| 2017 | 101,949 | 666 | 0.66% |
| 2016 | 101,283 | 198 | 0.2% |
| 2015 | 101,085 | -86 | -0.09% |
| 2014 | 101,171 | -49 | -0.05% |
| 2013 | 101,220 | 188 | 0.19% |
| 2012 | 101,032 | 830 | 0.83% |
| 2011 | 100,202 | 1,924 | 1.96% |
| 2010 | 98,278 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 74,267 | 12,141 | 19.54% |
| 1990 | 62,126 | 17,040 | 37.79% |
| 1980 | 45,086 | 7,229 | 19.1% |
| 1970 | 37,857 | 8,490 | 28.91% |
| 1960 | 29,367 | 17,042 | 138.27% |
| 1950 | 12,325 | 3,940 | 46.99% |
| 1940 | 8,385 | 2,574 | 44.3% |
| 1930 | 5,811 | 1,842 | 46.41% |
| 1920 | 3,969 | 133 | 3.47% |
| 1910 | 3,836 | -117,444 | -96.84% |