Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Only 2 of the 73 New Mexico towns we compare have a lower median household income than Tortugas. Tortugas has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Tortugas beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2021 and 2 maps from 1941 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Tortugas is unincorporated, so Doña Ana County and regional agencies provide most services.
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 Tortugas.
Most working residents leave Tortugas for work: only 0% work in town. Since 2013, Tortugas has added 44 jobs, to 46 in 2023. The top destinations are Las Cruces (53%), El Paso (8%) and University Park (7%).
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Tortugas has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Tortugas’ July high is 96°F, where New Mexico’s towns sit at 93°F and U.S. towns at 85°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 66% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
21% of adults have diabetes in Tortugas, above both New Mexico’s towns (14%) and U.S. towns (12%). 41% of adults have high blood pressure in Tortugas. Only 5 of the 74 New Mexico towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Tortugas.
| Tortugas | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 26% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 14% | 12% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 23% | 14% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 16% | 8.1% |
| What stands out | Tortugas | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.3% | 7.4% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 77.3% | 73.3% |
| More uninsured adults | 26.8% | 15.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
3 within 15 miles of the center of Tortugas
About 0 of every 100 Tortugas residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
Where Tortugas’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Community in Doña Ana County, New Mexico
Tortugas Pueblo or Tortugas, New Mexico is a community in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, just outside of Las Cruces, New Mexico. As of the 2020 census, the CDP's population was 579. Tortugas Pueblo, as it is commonly referred to as, was the area of land that was granted to tribal members of the Piro, Manso, and Tiwa tribe in Las Cruces.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Tortugas has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.