What it's like to live in Hobbs
Hobbs is a small city in New Mexico with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Hobbs deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
- Hot summers
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Hobbs compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Hobbs
Based on Hobbs's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,224
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $44,480 a year
- 39% of Hobbs renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$38,260
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $19,130
- Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 21% below US
$1,112/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,112 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $191,300. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $191,300 · 39% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 19% below US
3.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 115% above US
709 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 3034/100k · Hobbs Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 93°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 31°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 52% below US
17% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
19 public schools inside the boundary
There are 19 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Carlsbad Caverns National Park (91 miles away).
Bottom line
Hobbs's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,112/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Hobbs
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