Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Artesia grades C− overall, ranked 26th of 72 in New Mexico, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It has 7 miles of trail. On the other side, FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 76% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. 45% of working residents work locally in Artesia, against 13% in New Mexico’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Artesia has 14 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Abo Elementary School and Fallout Shelter and Moore-Ward Cobblestone House. Only 3 of the 73 New Mexico towns we compare have a higher July high than Artesia.
Where Artesia beats most towns.
Census counts: 1,883 in 1910, a low of 1,115 in 1920, 12,875 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1904 and 2 maps from 1955 on.
14 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Mexico), ordered by how far Artesia is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Artesia, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 27, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Artesia.
Artesia has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and has home values lagging New Mexico’s.
The property crime rate in Artesia is 21.6 per 1,000 residents. Within New Mexico, it does better than 57% of towns. The violent crime rate in Artesia is 3.9 per 1,000 residents.
| Artesia | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 21.6 per 1,000 residents | 16.2 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.9 per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by the Artesia school district. Two of its 10 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artesia Zia IntermediateLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–7 | Grades 6–7 | 550 | – |
| Artesia HighLargest public high schoolGrades 10–12 | Grades 10–12 | 806 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NM on state tests and graduation
Since 1980, 8 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Artesia.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
At about $245K, home values are up 2% in five years, against a rise of 25% across New Mexico.
The typical Artesia home is worth about $245,000, up 4.2% in a year, 23% below the New Mexico typical home. Artesia’s median rent is $1,288 a month.
| Artesia | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 65% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,288 a month | $936 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
7.3 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Jaycee Park, at 235 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. City Park | 0.4 mi | 3 |
| 2. Jaycee Park | — | 235 |
| 3. Guadalupe Park | 0.2 mi | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The Artesia 6s weather station, 7 miles away, records that about 109 days a year reach 90°, more than in 96% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 96°, hotter than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 26.8°.
Artesia has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. About 4 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
16% of residents live below the poverty line in Artesia. The top destinations are Carlsbad (8%), Hobbs (4%) and Albuquerque (4%). Half commute less than 3 miles.
| Artesia | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 21% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $75,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 8.4% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Artesia beats the New Mexico average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 66% of Artesia adults had a checkup this year. Only 7 of the 73 New Mexico towns we compare have a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Artesia.
| Artesia | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 66% | 69% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 34% | 36% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 16% | 8.1% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| What stands out | Artesia | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 6.2% | 7.2% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.4% | 7.4% |
| More adults sleeping under 7 hours | 39.3% | 32.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Artesia; the nearest are
About 9 of every 100 Artesia residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
11,301 counted in 2010 and 12,875 in 2020; an estimated 12,735 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
14 places in Artesia on the National Register of Historic Places.
11 notable people were born in Artesia.
City in New Mexico, United States
Artesia is a city in Eddy County, New Mexico, centered at the intersection of U.S. routes 82 and 285; the two highways serve as the city's Main Street and First Street, respectively. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 12,875.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Artesia grades C− overall, better than 24% of U.S. towns and #26 of 72 in New Mexico. It grades C+ for health, C− for safety and B+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a C−.
Within New Mexico, it does better than 57% of towns.
That is 3.1 years of the area's median household income ($78,426 across the Carlsbad-Artesia, NM area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
11 notable people were born here, including Alexa Havins and Landry Jones.
