Oil well supplies. Hobbs, New Mexico, 1940
Hobbs’s story
119 years in pictures
Census counts: 598 in 1930, 40,508 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1940 and 2 maps from 1969 on.
- 1907Hobbs is settled
Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
40,863
2025 Census estimate · +0.9% since 2020
Typical home
$211K
+3.6% in a year
Household income
$64K
median
Median age
32.5
years
Jobs based here
20,427
Balanced
TownGrade
C−
#38 of 72 in NM
Is Hobbs a good place to live?
Hobbs gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $211K for a typical one, or 3.1 years of the Hobbs area’s $68K median household income. It grades C− overall, ranked 38th of 72 in New Mexico. The low prices come with trade-offs. Its crime rate is higher than 96% of U.S. towns, with 292 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, and FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 81% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. On the plus side, it has 46 miles of trail. 56% of working residents work locally in Hobbs, where New Mexico’s towns sit at 13% and U.S. towns at 8%. Hobbs is home to New Mexico Junior College. Hobbs's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 93% of U.S. towns.
What makes Hobbs stand out
Where Hobbs beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Biggest of 2
| College | Students |
|---|---|
| New Mexico Junior College | 1,840 |
| University of the Southwest | 290 |
Colleges in town
2 colleges
2,130 students on campus
Students are 6% of residents.
Crimes reported to police
20232,292
20251,541
Worth knowing · SafetyD−
But reported crime fell 33% since 2023
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
A growing town
Hobbs has grown 20% since 2010
34,122 counted in 2010 and 40,508 in 2020; an estimated 40,863 in 2025.
Growth has leveled off: within 1% of 2020, after 18.7% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Hobbs grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Mexico), ordered by how far Hobbs is from typical.
SafetyD−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →Jobs & income$64K median household income; 20,427 jobs based hereC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.2 of 20; 4.7% of households have no car; 2.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Cost of livingBOpen →HealthCovenant Health Hobbs Hospital 2.4 miles awayC+Open →SchoolsBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors12% conserved landA−Open →History14 notable people born hereDOpen →Civic life1 library visits per resident; 2.5 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 market7 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 32.5; 17% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Hobbs: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hobbs, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy12.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHobbs Municipal Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpSouth Hobbs Convenience and Recycle CenterDrop-offTown site
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 codes88240, 88244, 8824288240 95% · 88244 3% · 88242 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 Hobbs.
Hobbs fares better on crime within New Mexico than nationally, has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
OutdoorsA−
12.2% of Hobbs is conserved land
Hobbs’ trail density is 1.8 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Del Norte Park, 77 acres with 4.9 miles of trail.
#15for trails in NM
12.2%
conserved · 2,051 of 16,862 acres
46 mi
of trails · 1.8 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Del Norte Park | 4.9 mi | 77 |
| 2. Harry McAdams Park | 2.1 mi | 37 |
| 3. Washington Park | 1.5 mi | 15 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsB
Public schools in Hobbs beat 63% of New Mexico districts
Its public schools are run by the Hobbs school district. Two of its 21 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
63%of NM districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highland Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 808 | – |
| Hobbs HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 2,312 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NM on state tests and graduation
SafetyD−
Hobbs’ grade for safety is a D−
At 70.8 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 79% of New Mexico’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 2,292 to 1,541 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
The violent crime rate in Hobbs is 7.1 per 1,000 residents. Hobbs reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 96% report less. The property crime rate in Hobbs is 30.3 per 1,000 residents.
4%of U.S. towns report more crimeD−Safety Grade
| Hobbs | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.1 per 1,000 residents | 4 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 30.3 per 1,000 residents | 16.2 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Hobbs7.1
New Mexico6.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Hobbs30.3
New Mexico23.6
U.S.15.5
4th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
21st
percentile among NM towns
292
violent crimes reported in 2025
1,249
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Very high risk in Hobbs, with inland flooding at the top
Since 1979, 133 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Hobbs.
81risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
133
paid flood claims since 1979
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade B
Hobbs’ grade for cost of living is a B
The typical value, about $211K, is 14% below its February 2021 peak. At about $211K, home values are down 8% in five years, against a rise of 25% across New Mexico.
The typical Hobbs home is worth about $211,000, up 3.6% in a year, 33% below the New Mexico typical home.
$211KZillow home value
| Hobbs | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 66% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,112 a month | $936 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Hobbs$211K
New Mexico$316K
Market temperature
7
days on market
+3.6%
value change, 1 year
28
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Hobbs
The Hobbs weather station records that about 104 days a year reach 90°, more than in 95% of U.S. towns.
Hobbs has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 94°, January nights drop to 28° and about 2 inches of snow falls in a winter.
2″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter29–57°
Spring46–77°
Summer65–93°
Fall47–75°
Nov 10
typical first frost
Mar 28
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
On CDC estimates, Hobbs is less healthy than 64% of U.S. towns
Against the 9,742 U.S. towns with household incomes like Hobbs’s, it is healthier than 52%, so its C+ isn’t only a matter of income.
Hobbs beats the New Mexico average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 22% of Hobbs adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance. Among 73 New Mexico towns, just 3 have a higher share of adults who binge drink than Hobbs.
37%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Hobbs | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 64% | 69% | 79% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 16% | 8.1% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 34% | 33% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 23% | 14% |
32 measures vs. New Mexico
6 better16 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Hobbs | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5% | 7.4% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 5.6% | 7.2% |
| More uninsured adults | 21.9% | 15.6% |
Covenant Health Hobbs Hospital
2.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
50th
percentile among NM towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Hobbs has 1.3 jobs for every working resident, and 11,699 people commute in
2.3% of workers work from home in Hobbs. The top destinations are Albuquerque (5%), Carlsbad (4%) and Lovington (3%). 20% of residents live below the poverty line in Hobbs.
56%work in town
| Hobbs | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 2.3% | 8.4% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 20% | 21% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Hobbs56%
Albuquerque5%
Carlsbad4%
Lovington3%
North Hobbs2%
4 mi
median commute distance
20,427
jobs based in Hobbs
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 67% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hobbs
19pages on Hobbs
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 63% of NM districts · 21 schoolsSafetyD−7.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC+Better than NM on 6 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB$211K typical home · up 3.6% in a yearWork & commuteC−$64K median household income · 20,427 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 81% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Hobbs
New Mexico Junior CollegeCommunity college · Public · HobbsIn town$1,440 in-state tuitionUniversity of the SouthwestUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · HobbsIn town$16,670 tuition
About 6 of every 100 Hobbs residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New Mexico.
College town
New Mexico Junior College calls Hobbs home
2 colleges in town.
New Mexico Junior College1,840 students on campus
- Admission
- Open
- Net price
- $6,524
- Graduate
- 58%
- Admission
- Open
- Net price
- $16,927
- Graduate
- 17%
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Famous people from Hobbs
14 notable people were born in Hobbs.
About Hobbs
City in New Mexico, United States
Hobbs is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 40,508 at the 2020 census, increasing from 34,122 in 2010. It is the state's seventh-most populous city. Hobbs is the principal city of the Hobbs, New Mexico micropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Lea County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1907
- Area
- 19 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3,622 ft
- ZIP code
- 88240, 88241, 88242
- Area code
- 575
Hobbs’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Hobbs.
North HobbsHobbs
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NM rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobbs | #38 | C− | B | D− | B | C+ |
| North Hobbs | #24 | C | B− | — | B | B− |
North Hobbs reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Hobbs with a neighbor →
Questions about Hobbs
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hobbs, NM a good place to live?
Hobbs grades C− overall, better than 18% of U.S. towns and #38 of 72 in New Mexico. It grades C+ for health, D− for safety and B for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Hobbs, NM expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
What is Hobbs, NM known for?
14 notable people were born here, including Damion James and Ryan Bingham.