About
Life in Alamogordo
If you're considering moving to Alamogordo, know upfront that this is fundamentally a military town—Holloman Air Force Base directly employs over 6,000 people and shapes much of local life and economic stability. That's actually a strength if job security matters to you; unemployment sits at 4.0% and median household income is around $55,952. White Sands National Park 23 miles away does drive tourism and gives you weekend access to something genuinely unique, but don't come here expecting a resort town atmosphere—it's a working community with service-sector and retail jobs, modest housing costs (median home around $172,900), and affordable rent near $902 monthly.
Alamogordo at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.6%
Foreign-Born
5.9%
Broadband Internet
91.2%
of households
Population Growth
+3.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Alamogordo: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Alamogordo, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (30.8%), and 12.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.1%
of residents
65 and Older
19.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.2%
of households
Married Couples
41.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.33
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 15% below NM average
Rent, home values, and income in Alamogordo
In Alamogordo, rent runs 15% below the NM average, and home values are 30% below the NM average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.3%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,133
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
61.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1980
median year built
Vacant Homes
14.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $220,091 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for NM
Unemployment in Alamogordo
Unemployment in Alamogordo is close to the NM average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Alamogordo Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.9 min avg
How Alamogordo residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Alamogordo, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Safetyviolent crime 32% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Alamogordo runs 32% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
433.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,814.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Alamogordo Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 44 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
84.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Otero County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Otero County, which includes Alamogordo, the most common type is drought, with 44 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 44 | Drought | $5,000 |
| 2024 | 27 | Drought | $25,000 |
| 2023 | 18 | Drought | None reported |
| 2022 | 23 | Drought | $12,000 |
| 2021 | 25 | Drought | None reported |
| 2020 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $26,000 |
| 2019 | 19 | Hail | $776,000 |
| 2018 | 18 | Drought | $25,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
49 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Otero County, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate93°F summers, 34°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Alamogordo has hot summers (avg high 93°F) and mild winters (avg low 34°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
76°/51°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
93°/69°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
56°/34°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
10.6"
Annual Snowfall
2.4"
Hot Days/Year
89
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
55
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
56
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55°F | 33°F | 0.68" |
| Feb | 60°F | 37°F | 0.59" |
| Mar | 68°F | 43°F | 0.33" |
| Apr | 76°F | 51°F | 0.27" |
| May | 85°F | 59°F | 0.46" |
| Jun | 94°F | 68°F | 0.56" |
| Jul | 93°F | 70°F | 1.62" |
| Aug | 91°F | 68°F | 1.96" |
| Sep | 86°F | 63°F | 1.49" |
| Oct | 75°F | 51°F | 1.01" |
| Nov | 64°F | 41°F | 0.56" |
| Dec | 54°F | 33°F | 1.10" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Alamogordo
Alamogordo has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Christus Southern New Mexico
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Alamogordo
Alamogordo's student/teacher ratio is 15.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 25.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
25.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Alamogordo
New Mexico State University-Alamogordo
Public · 2-year · 591 students · in-state tuition $2,616 · 21% graduate · median earnings $43,922 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: White Sands National Park, 23 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Alamogordo
Alamogordo has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being White Sands National Park (23 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
White Sands National Park
National Park
23 mi awayButterfield Overland National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
64 mi awayChamizal National Memorial
National Memorial
82 mi awayEl Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
82 mi awayGuadalupe Mountains National Park
National Park
91 mi awayCarlsbad Caverns National Park
National Park
97 mi awayPublic Libraries in Alamogordo
Alamogordo Public Library
920 Oregon Avenue, Alamogordo
Cities Near Alamogordo
The closest cities within 60 miles
No other cities we cover are within 60 miles of Alamogordo.
Planning a move to Alamogordo?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Alamogordo FAQ
Is Alamogordo, New Mexico affordable?⌄
Alamogordo's median rent is $902/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $55,952/year. Median home value is $172,900.
Is Alamogordo, New Mexico safe?⌄
Alamogordo's violent crime rate was 433 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1815 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Alamogordo, New Mexico?⌄
Alamogordo has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Alamogordo, New Mexico?⌄
The cost of living in Alamogordo is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $902/month and median household income is $55,952/year. The median home value is $172,900. About 47% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Alamogordo, New Mexico?⌄
The average commute in Alamogordo is 18 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from