Oil Well near, 2018
Eunice’s story
118 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,227 in 1940, 3,056 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1969 on.
- 1908Eunice is settled
EuniceNM
A town of 3,037, settled in 1908.
Photo: AllenS · Public domain
Population
3,037
2025 Census estimate · −0.6% since 2020
Typical home
$157K
+3.7% in a year
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
29.5
years
Jobs based here
1,081
Balanced
TownGrade
C−
#47 of 72 in NM
Is Eunice a good place to live?
Eunice gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $157K for a typical one, or 2.3 years of the Hobbs area’s $68K median household income. It grades C− overall, ranked 47th of 72 in New Mexico. The low prices come with trade-offs. Residents are less healthy than 89% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates, and the median household income is $49K, and 13% of residents live below the poverty line. On the plus side, 35% of its land is conserved. 35% of the land in Eunice is conserved, against 3.8% in New Mexico’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Eunice's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 90% of U.S. towns. Among 73 New Mexico towns, just one has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Eunice.
What makes Eunice stand out
Where Eunice beats most towns.
How Eunice grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Mexico), ordered by how far Eunice is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for cost of living (better than 99% of comparable towns) to D for health (better than 11%), so the C− overall blends very different results.
Cost of livingA+Open →HealthCovenant Health Hobbs Hospital 22.5 miles awayDOpen →Jobs & incomeDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.2 of 20; 11.7% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →SafetyCOpen →SchoolsCOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors5 miles of trailsA+Open →History1 notable person born hereDOpen →Civic life2.1 library visits per resident; 2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 29.5; 6% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Eunice: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Eunice, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy12.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEunice Water Supply SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Eunice’s trash rules yet
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 hereLea County ClerkLea County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2017
ZIP code8823188231 100%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 Eunice.
Eunice keeps more of its land conserved than most of New Mexico and has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns, but it is a long drive from an emergency room.
HealthD
Eunice’s grade for health is a D
The nearest emergency room, Covenant Health Hobbs Hospital, is 22.5 miles away in a straight line. Against the 5,435 U.S. towns with household incomes like Eunice’s, it is less healthy than 71%, so that grade isn’t only a matter of income.
29% of Eunice adults worry about having enough food, where New Mexico’s towns sit at 23% and U.S. towns at 14%. In Eunice, 21% of adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance. CDC measures, 32 in all: Eunice beats New Mexico on 1 and trails on 15.
11%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Eunice | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 66% | 69% | 79% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 16% | 8.1% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 23% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 25% | 19% |
32 measures vs. New Mexico
1 better16 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Eunice | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.2% | 7.4% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 15.8% | 11.2% |
Covenant Health Hobbs Hospital
22.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
13th
percentile among NM towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsC
Eunice’s schools rank behind 72% of New Mexico districts
Two of the 4 schools are below, and why each made the list. The public schools here belong to the Eunice school district. 3 public schools serve Eunice, with 748 students in all.
28%of NM districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mettie Jordan ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 357 | C− |
| Eunice HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 221 | D− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NM on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade A+
Eunice’s grade for cost of living is an A+
At 2.3 years of the Hobbs area’s $68K median household income, the typical home (about $157K) costs less against local pay than in 87% of New Mexico towns; that ratio is one input to that grade. The median property tax bill is $506, against $1,731 across New Mexico, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
Eunice’s going rate for rent stands at $721 a month. Zillow values the typical Eunice home at about $157,000, up 3.7% in a year, 50% below the New Mexico typical home.
$157KZillow home value
| Eunice | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $721 a month | $944 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 71% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Eunice$157K
New Mexico$316K
+3.7%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
OutdoorsA+
In Eunice, nearly a third of the land is conserved
Its 927 conserved acres are a larger share of the town than in 94% of New Mexico towns.
The biggest park or preserve is Eunice Lake Recreational Park, at 77 acres. Trails run 4.6 miles in 2 parks and preserves. The town’s density of trails comes in at 1.1 miles per square mile.
#30for trails in NM
35.3%
conserved · 927 of 2,626 acres
4.6 mi
of trails · 1.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Eunice Lake Recreational Park | — | 77 |
| 2. Eunice City Park | — | 10 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SafetyC
Eunice reports more crime per resident than three in four U.S. towns
In Eunice, the violent crime rate is 2.3 per 1,000 residents. Within New Mexico, it does better than just over two thirds of towns.
26%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade
| Eunice | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.3 per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 10.1 per 1,000 residents | 16.4 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Eunice2.3
New Mexico6.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Eunice10.1
New Mexico23.6
U.S.15.5
26th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
68th
percentile among NM towns
7
violent crimes reported in 2025
31
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
Expect mild winters and hot summers in Eunice
The Hobbs weather station, 20 miles away, records that about 104 days a year reach 90°, more than in 95% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 94.9°, hotter than in 96% of U.S. towns; January nights average 28°.
About 2 inches of snow falls in a winter. Also worth knowing: its midsummer high stands at 95°F.
2″snow a winter
| Eunice | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 95°F | 93°F | 85°F |
| January low | 28°F | 21°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter29–59°
Spring47–79°
Summer66–94°
Fall48–77°
Nov 10
typical first frost
Mar 28
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
About one in four working residents works right in Eunice
Jobs based here fell from 1,430 in 2013 to 1,081.
Half of commuters travel less than 20 miles. In Eunice, the average trip to work is 19 minutes. Since 2013, Eunice has lost 349 jobs, to 1,081 in 2023. 26% of Eunice working residents work locally.
26%work in town
| Eunice | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 26% | 13% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $49,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Eunice26%
Hobbs16%
Albuquerque7%
Carlsbad5%
Jal4%
20 mi
median commute distance
1,081
jobs based in Eunice
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 25% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Eunice faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Eunice’s FEMA hazard score is 37 of 100. Nearly half of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by wildfires at 12%. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 63% of U.S. communities.
37risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireHail
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Eunice
19pages on Eunice
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 72% of NM districts · 4 schoolsSafetyC2.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than NM on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA+$157K typical home · up 3.7% in a yearWork & commuteD$49K median household income · 1,081 jobs hereNatural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 37% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Eunice; the nearest are
New Mexico Junior CollegeCommunity college · Public · Hobbs22.3 mi$1,440 in-state tuitionThe University of Texas Permian BasinUniversity or college · Public · Odessa, TX61 mi$9,236 in-state tuition
About 8 of every 100 Eunice residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
About Eunice
City in New Mexico, United States
Eunice is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 3,056 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1908
- Area
- 3.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3,448 ft
- ZIP code
- 88231
- Area code
- 575
Questions about Eunice
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Eunice, NM a good place to live?
Eunice grades C− overall, better than 16% of U.S. towns and #47 of 72 in New Mexico. It grades D for health, C for safety and C for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Eunice, NM safe?
Within New Mexico, it does better than 68% of towns.
Is Eunice, NM expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.