A close-up view of the main gate, 1995
Cannon AFB’s story
83 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1943.
- 1943Cannon AFB is settled
Cannon AFBNM
A town of 2,405, settled in 1943.
Population
2,405
Census survey, 2020–24
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
23.1
years
Jobs based here
651
A job hub
Is Cannon AFB a good place to live?
The best of Cannon AFB’s subject grades is an A for health; the weakest is a D for cost of living. Cannon AFB’s average trip to work is 8 minutes, below both New Mexico’s towns (23 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). On cost of living, just 3 of New Mexico’s 156 towns do worse. Cannon AFB is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 74% of U.S. towns. Cannon AFB’s trail density is 1.6 miles per square mile, above both the New Mexico town median (1.0) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). On history, just 6 of New Mexico’s 161 towns do worse. Cannon AFB has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Cannon AFB stand out
Where Cannon AFB beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here651
Residents who work313
Work
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 94% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Natural hazardsA
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
32 measures vs. New Mexico
19 better7 too close to call6 worse
| Widest gap | Cannon AFB | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 1.9% | 7.2% |
HealthA
Healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
A shrinking town
Cannon AFB has shrunk 12% from 2010 to 2020
2,245 counted in 2010 and 1,978 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Cannon AFB grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Mexico), ordered by how far Cannon AFB is from typical.
Cost of livingHome prices against what area households earnDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 12% of U.S. communities; wildfire tops the listAOpen →HealthPlains Regional Medical Center 5.5 miles awayAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.4 of 20; 6.5% of households have no car; 11.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Jobs & income$63K median household incomeC+Open →SchoolsBeat 58% of New Mexico districts on tests and graduationBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Cannon AFB: who provides what
Cannon AFB is unincorporated, so Curry County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerXcel Energy12.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterDesert Ranch Mdwca water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesCurry CountyCurry County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn New Mexico you can register online until 28 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCurry County ClerkCurry County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP codes88101, 8810388101 98% · 88103 2%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 27, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Cannon AFB.
Who lives here
Compared with most of New Mexico and the rest of the country, the median age in Cannon AFB is lower
The median age in Cannon AFB is 23.1 years. Adults 18 to 34 are 60% of residents (23% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 10% of residents (37% statewide). 29% of Cannon AFB residents are under 18.
23.1median age · NM 39.4
| Cannon AFB | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 23.1 years | 37.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 29% | 23% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 41% | 23% | 29% |
Cannon AFBNew MexicoUnited States
Ages · share of residents
34%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school15%
Some college28%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s38%
Graduate3%
Women and men · all residents
38% women, 62% men
About 161 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±6.3 points). Across New Mexico, 50.3% of residents are women. Among residents 18 to 24, 77% are men (NM 52%).
| Cannon AFB | NM | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 19.9% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.7% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 33.9% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 26.3% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.2% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 1.1% | 11.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 0% | 12.5% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 0.9% | 11.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 0% | 7.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.3% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 14.9% | 25.7% | 26% |
| Some college | 28.3% | 22.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.7% | 9.2% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 37.7% | 17.1% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 3.1% | 13.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,400, single groups can be off by several points
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
With 2.1 jobs for every working resident, Cannon AFB draws in 641 commuters
Most working residents leave Cannon AFB for work: only 3% work in town. 8.5% of residents live below the poverty line in Cannon AFB. Since 2013, Cannon AFB has added 158 jobs, to 651 in 2023.
3%work in town
| Cannon AFB | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 8.5% | 21% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.2% | 14% | 8% |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Cannon AFB3%
Clovis29%
Albuquerque10%
Lubbock6%
Amarillo4%
101 mi
median commute distance
651
jobs based in Cannon AFB
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 74% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthA
Fewer of Cannon AFB’s adults report frequent physical distress than in the typical New Mexico or U.S. town
Of the 74 New Mexico towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Cannon AFB. Cannon AFB beats the New Mexico average on 19 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. Among 74 New Mexico towns, just 2 have a lower share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than Cannon AFB.
86%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Cannon AFB | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 3.5% | 14% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 8.7% | 17% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 13% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 35% | 35% |
32 measures vs. New Mexico
19 better7 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Cannon AFB | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 1.9% | 7.2% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 3.5% | 13.2% |
| More binge drinkers | 23% | 13.7% |
Plains Regional Medical Center
5.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Very low risk in Cannon AFB, with wildfire at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 88% of U.S. communities.
12risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland floodingTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in Cannon AFB
Cannon AFB has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. Cannon AFB’s July high is 91°F.
13″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–54°
Spring41–73°
Summer62–90°
Fall44–72°
Oct 29
typical first frost
Apr 14
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 3,753 acres
9.7 mi
of trails · 1.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Air Park | 0.7 mi | 7 |
| 2. Doc Stewart Park | 0.6 mi | 16 |
| 3. Chavez West Housing Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cannon AFB
15pages on Cannon AFB
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Cannon AFB
Clovis Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Clovis8.7 mi$1,592 in-state tuitionEastern New Mexico UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Portales14.4 mi$7,194 in-state tuition
College town 15 of every 100 Cannon AFB residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
A job hub
Every workday, about 641 people come to Cannon AFB for work
Where Cannon AFB’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
651jobs based in Cannon AFB
3%of working residents work in town
101 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Cannon AFB
US Air Force base near Clovis, New Mexico
Cannon Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base, located approximately 7 miles (11 km) southwest of Clovis, New Mexico. The host unit at Cannon is the 27th Special Operations Wing (27 SOW) also known as "The Steadfast Line". It is under the jurisdiction of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) which activated at the base on 1 October 2007. The 27 SOW plans and executes specialized and contingency operations using advanced aircraft, tactics and air refueling techniques to infiltrate, exfiltrate and resupply special operations forces (SOF) and provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and close air support in support of SOF operations. A variety of special operation…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1943
- Area
- 5.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 4,295 ft
- ZIP code
- 88103