Heading towards Capitan, 2010
Ruidoso Downs’s story
76 years in pictures
Census counts: 363 in 1950, 2,620 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1963 on.
- 1950Ruidoso Downs is settled
Peter and Henriette Wyeth Hurd House · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0
Population
2,588
2025 Census estimate · −2.5% since 2020
Typical home
$221K
−1.2% in a year
Household income
$31K
median
Median age
38.4
years
Jobs based here
748
Balanced
TownGrade
D
#58 of 72 in NM
Is Ruidoso Downs a good place to live?
Ruidoso Downs earns a D, 58th of 72 graded towns in New Mexico, mostly because of incomes. The median household income is $31K, and 40% of residents live below the poverty line. In its favor, its public schools beat 57% of New Mexico towns on state tests and graduation. 41% of residents live below the poverty line in Ruidoso Downs, above both the New Mexico town median (20%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 3 of New Mexico’s 161 towns score lower on hazard risk. Ruidoso Downs has 1 place on the National Register.
How Ruidoso Downs grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Mexico), ordered by how far Ruidoso Downs is from typical.
Hazard riskwildfire tops the listD−Open →Jobs & incomeDOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.3 of 20; 4% of households have no car; 0.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →HealthLincoln County Medical Center 2 miles awayC+Open →SchoolsBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 8% conserved landB−Open →HistoryD−Open →Civic life1.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Ruidoso Downs: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ruidoso Downs, and how to reach them.
PowerPNM16.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterRuidoso Downs Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpGreentree Solid Waste Authority Recycling Center/Transfer StationCounty or districtTown 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 hereLincoln County ClerkLincoln County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2023
ZIP code8834688346 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 Ruidoso Downs.
Ruidoso Downs is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has home values still below their peak, but it has poverty well above the New Mexico rate.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
In Ruidoso Downs, the FEMA risk score runs higher than in the typical New Mexico or U.S. town
Ruidoso Downs’ FEMA risk score is 95 of 100. Since 1982, 15 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Ruidoso Downs.
95risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland flooding
15
paid flood claims since 1982
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade C
A typical Ruidoso Downs home is worth about $221K
The typical value, about $221K, is 17% below its May 2023 peak. At about $221K, home values are down 10% in five years, against a rise of 25% across New Mexico.
The typical Ruidoso Downs home is worth about $221,000, down 1.2% in a year, 30% below the New Mexico typical home. 63% of households own their home in Ruidoso Downs.
$221KZillow home value
| Ruidoso Downs | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 63% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $936 a month | $944 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Ruidoso Downs$221K
New Mexico$316K
−1.2%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Who lives here
Fewer middle-aged adults than New Mexico overall
40.5% of residents live below the poverty line, against 17.8% across New Mexico, which weighs on its D for jobs and income. The median household earns $31,354, against $64,059 across New Mexico.
Adults 35 to 64 are 27% of residents (37% statewide); children under 18 are 28% of residents (22% statewide). Ruidoso Downs has lost 2.5% of its people since 2020, down to 2,588 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 22% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across New Mexico.
38.4median age · NM 39.4
| Ruidoso Downs | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 22% | 23% | 29% |
| Median age | 38.4 years | 37.2 years | 40.5 years |
Ruidoso DownsNew MexicoUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school48%
Some college21%
Associate’s5%
Bachelor’s9%
Graduate12%
Women and men · all residents
57% women, 43% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6.9 points. Across New Mexico, 50.3% of residents are women. Among residents 18 to 24, 96% are women (NM 48%).
| Ruidoso Downs | NM | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 18% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.8% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.1% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.6% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.5% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 5.6% | 11.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 8.4% | 12.5% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.2% | 11.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.7% | 7.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.7% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 47.9% | 25.7% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.6% | 22.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 5.3% | 9.2% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 9.3% | 17.1% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.2% | 13.9% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,600, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Ruidoso Downs stands out in New Mexico and nationally, with a typical July afternoon cooler than most
The July high in Ruidoso Downs is 83°F. Ruidoso Downs has chilly winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain.
26″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–51°
Spring34–66°
Summer51–82°
Fall35–67°
Oct 5
typical first frost
May 11
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
About one in three of Ruidoso Downs’ working residents commute to Ruidoso
The average commute for its 781 working residents takes 12.8 minutes, against 23.5 across New Mexico. Jobs based here grew from 445 in 2013 to 748.
Most working residents leave Ruidoso Downs for work: only 12% work in town. Jobs based in Ruidoso Downs grew to 748 in 2023, 303 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Ruidoso (35%), Albuquerque (8%) and Roswell (5%).
12%work in town
| Ruidoso Downs | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 13 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 15% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Ruidoso Downs12%
Ruidoso35%
Albuquerque8%
Roswell5%
Capitan2%
6 mi
median commute distance
748
jobs based in Ruidoso Downs
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 41% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsB−
Ruidoso Downs has set aside 8.4% of its land for conservation
1.1 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
#60for trails in NM
| Ruidoso Downs | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 8.4% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
8.4%
conserved · 204 of 2,418 acres
1.1 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. All American Park | 0.3 mi | 9 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthC+
Health in Ruidoso Downs trails 58% of U.S. towns
Against the 714 U.S. towns with household incomes like Ruidoso Downs’s, it is healthier than 96%, so its C+ isn’t only a matter of income.
Ruidoso Downs beats the New Mexico average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 69% of Ruidoso Downs adults had a checkup this year.
42%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Ruidoso Downs | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 69% | 69% | 79% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 16% | 8.1% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 16% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 23% | 14% |
32 measures vs. New Mexico
1 better30 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Ruidoso Downs | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 11.2% | 14.2% |
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 56.7% | 61.4% |
Lincoln County Medical Center
2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
58th
percentile among NM towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ruidoso Downs
18pages on Ruidoso Downs
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Ruidoso Downs
About 3 of every 100 Ruidoso Downs residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
About Ruidoso Downs
City in New Mexico, United States
Ruidoso Downs is a city in Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States, located within the Lincoln National Forest. As of the 2020 census, Ruidoso Downs had a population of 2,620. Originally incorporated as a village, it became a city in May 2002. Known locally as "the Downs", Ruidoso Downs is a municipality separate from the Village of Ruidoso and is adjacent to the Village of Ruidoso Ruidoso. The city, located along U.S. Route 70, is named after the Ruidoso Downs Race Track, which is located in the city along with the Billy the Kid Casino. The city is home to the Hubbard Museum of the American West.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 6,417 ft
- ZIP code
- 88346
- Area code
- 575
Ruidoso Downs’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Ruidoso Downs.
RuidosoRuidoso Downs
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NM rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruidoso Downs | #58 | D | C | — | B | C+ |
| Ruidoso | #45 | C− | C− | — | B | B− |
Ruidoso Downs and Ruidoso report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Ruidoso Downs with a neighbor →
Questions about Ruidoso Downs
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ruidoso Downs, NM a good place to live?
Ruidoso Downs grades D overall, better than 9% of U.S. towns and #58 of 72 in New Mexico. It grades C+ for health and B for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Ruidoso Downs, NM expensive?
That is 4.1 years of the area's median household income ($53,303 across the Ruidoso, NM area).