Goddard Hall · National Register of Historic Places
University Park’s story
67 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 maps from 1891 on.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1959University Park is settled
University ParkNM
A regional job hub with 4,452 jobs. With 2,782 residents, this town was settled in 1959.
Photo: AllenS · Public domain
Population
2,782
Census survey, 2020–24
Household income
$30K
median
Median age
20.1
years
Jobs based here
4,452
A job hub
Is University Park a good place to live?
University Park’s best subject grade is an A− for walkability; its weakest is a D for incomes. 64% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in University Park, above both New Mexico’s towns (23%) and U.S. towns (29%). No town in New Mexico scores higher than University Park on hazard risk. University Park has 4 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Goddard Hall and Air Science. University Park has no overall grade: it has no figures for cost of living and safety, and an overall grade needs at least three of the four big subjects (cost of living, safety, schools and health).
What makes University Park stand out
Where University Park beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here4,452
Residents who work322
Work
13.8 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 99% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Natural hazardsA+
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 77% of U.S. towns
45.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
A shrinking town
University Park has shrunk 28% from 2010 to 2020
4,192 counted in 2010 and 3,007 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How University Park grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Mexico), ordered by how far University Park is from typical.
University Park has no overall grade: it has no figures for cost of living and safety, and an overall grade needs at least three of the four big subjects (cost of living, safety, schools and health).
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 1% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA+Open →Jobs & income$30K median household incomeDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.4 of 20; 0% of households have no carA−Open →HealthMemorial Medical Center 1.3 miles awayB+Open →SchoolsGraded on exam and test resultsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 3% conserved landB+Open →HistoryLittle recorded history by comparisonC−Open →
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 University Park: who provides what
University Park is unincorporated, so Doña Ana County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerEl Paso Electric10.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterNew Mexico State University water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesDoña Ana CountyDoña Ana 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 hereDona Ana County Bureau of ElectionsDoña Ana County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP codes88001, 8800388001 84% · 88003 16%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 University Park.
SchoolsB−
On state tests, University Park’s schools beat 54% of New Mexico districts
Its public schools are run by the Las Cruces school district. The largest public high school is Arrowhead Park Early College High School, with 549 students.
54%of NM districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrowhead Park Early College High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 549 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NM on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
University Park stands out in New Mexico and nationally, with the median household income lower than most
Half the trips to work are shorter than 67 miles. Among residents in University Park, 30% live below the poverty line. Only 7 of the 73 New Mexico towns we compare have a lower average commute than University Park. The top destinations are Las Cruces (16%), Albuquerque (15%) and El Paso (12%).
6%work in town
| University Park | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 12 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 30% | 20% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $30,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.6% | 15% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In University Park6%
Las Cruces16%
Albuquerque15%
El Paso12%
Santa Fe5%
67 mi
median commute distance
4,452
jobs based in University Park
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 77% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
The FEMA risk score in University Park is lower than in most of New Mexico or the rest of the country
FEMA puts 52% of University Park’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 21% to earthquakes. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 99% of U.S. communities.
1risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesHeat waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB+
University Park ranks healthier than 66% of the country’s towns
32% of University Park adults have been diagnosed with depression. Of 32 CDC measures, University Park beats the New Mexico average on 9 and trails it on 15. Also worth knowing: only 5 of the 73 New Mexico towns we compare have a lower share of adults who report frequent physical distress than University Park. Among adults here, 28% report frequent mental distress and 21% binge drink.
66%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| University Park | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 2.9% | 14% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 16% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 13% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 23% | 23% |
32 measures vs. New Mexico
9 better8 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | University Park | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 0.9% | 7.4% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 2.9% | 13.2% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 32.7% | 14.2% |
Memorial Medical Center
1.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
82nd
percentile among NM towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers: that is University Park’s year
The range runs from 29° on a January night to 95° on a July afternoon, with about 1 inches of snow a winter.
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter30–60°
Spring46–79°
Summer66–95°
Fall48–78°
Nov 13
typical first frost
Mar 12
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsB+
Protected land: 2.6% of University Park
In 2 parks and preserves, walkers have 1.0 miles of trail. For University Park, the trail density is 0.7 miles per square mile. Parks and preserves in the town: 2, covering 23 acres.
2.6%conserved
| University Park | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.6% | 4% | 4.3% |
2.6%
conserved · 25 of 978 acres
1.0 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pat and Lou Sisbarro Community Park | — | 17 |
| 2. Preciado Park | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about University Park
16pages on University Park
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of University Park
New Mexico State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Las Cruces0.5 mi$8,183 in-state tuitionBurrell College of Osteopathic MedicineUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Las Cruces0.5 miNew Mexico State University-Dona AnaCommunity college · Public · Las Cruces5.4 mi$2,322 in-state tuition
College town 94 of every 100 University Park residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
A job hub
Every workday, about 4,434 people come to University Park for work
Where University Park’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
4,452jobs based in University Park
6%of working residents work in town
67 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
4 places in University Park on the National Register of Historic Places.
About University Park
Census-designated place in New Mexico, United States
University Park is a census-designated place (CDP) in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 census, University Park had a population of 3,007. It is part of the Las Cruces Metropolitan Statistical Area. The CDP is almost all of the area bounded by University Avenue, Interstate 10 and Interstate 25 and is thus very nearly coextensive with the Las Cruces campus of New Mexico State University.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3,914 ft
Questions about University Park
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is University Park, NM a good place to live?
University Park has no overall grade: it has no figures for cost of living and safety, and an overall grade needs at least three of the four big subjects (cost of living, safety, schools and health).