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Living in
Carlsbad.
About
Life in Carlsbad
Carlsbad offers a genuine small-city lifestyle centered on mining, energy, and outdoor access rather than tourism alone, though the caverns and national parks 26 to 50 miles away do drive some economic activity. The job market is solid with a 3.3% unemployment rate, and median household income of $72,306 is respectable for the region. Housing is affordable—median home values around $200,000 and rents under $1,300—which is a real advantage if you work in the extractive industries that dominate employment here.
Carlsbad at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
13.8%
Foreign-Born
8.6%
Broadband Internet
85.3%
of households
Population Growth
+1.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Carlsbad: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Carlsbad, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (80.9%), and 29.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.8%
of residents
65 and Older
15.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.7%
of households
Married Couples
44.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.48
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 16% above NM average
Rent, home values, and income in Carlsbad
In Carlsbad, rent runs 16% above the NM average, and home values are 19% below the NM average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
29.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.8%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,066
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
70.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1973
median year built
Vacant Homes
12.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $252,936 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1 pts below NM average
Unemployment in Carlsbad
Unemployment in Carlsbad is 1 percentage points lower than the NM average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Carlsbad Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.3 min avg
How Carlsbad residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Carlsbad, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 74% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 6 mi
Cavern City Air Terminal (CNM)
Regional airport · few flights4,284 passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 75% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Carlsbad runs 75% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
576.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,721.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Carlsbad Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 42 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
83.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Eddy County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Eddy County, which includes Carlsbad, the most common type is high wind, with 42 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 42 | High Wind | $1.5M |
| 2024 | 23 | High Wind | $77,000 |
| 2023 | 22 | High Wind | $460,000 |
| 2022 | 16 | High Wind | $33,900 |
| 2021 | 19 | High Wind | $44,000 |
| 2020 | 15 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 36 | High Wind | $61,000 |
| 2018 | 28 | High Wind | $133,000 |
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.
343 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Eddy County, county-wide
Air Quality49 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Eddy County, which includes Carlsbad, is typically good — 196 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
49
Good Days
196
per year
Moderate Days
144
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Eddy County, county-wide
Climate96°F summers, 32°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Carlsbad has hot summers (avg high 96°F) and cold winters (avg low 32°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
80°/49°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
96°/69°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
79°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
60°/32°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
13.5"
Annual Snowfall
2.7"
Hot Days/Year
119
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
75
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
54
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 30°F | 0.56" |
| Feb | 64°F | 34°F | 0.45" |
| Mar | 72°F | 41°F | 0.54" |
| Apr | 80°F | 48°F | 0.45" |
| May | 88°F | 58°F | 0.99" |
| Jun | 97°F | 67°F | 1.07" |
| Jul | 97°F | 71°F | 2.03" |
| Aug | 95°F | 69°F | 1.63" |
| Sep | 88°F | 62°F | 2.49" |
| Oct | 80°F | 50°F | 1.01" |
| Nov | 68°F | 38°F | 0.66" |
| Dec | 59°F | 31°F | 0.67" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 1.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Carlsbad
Carlsbad has 1 hospital, averaging 1.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
11.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
1.0 / 5
Carlsbad Medical Center
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.
Education18.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Carlsbad
Carlsbad's student/teacher ratio is 18.4:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 19.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
14
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
19.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Carlsbad
Public · 2-year · 469 students · in-state tuition $1,296 · 18% graduate
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Carlsbad Caverns National Park, 26 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Carlsbad
Carlsbad has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Carlsbad Caverns National Park (26 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
National Park
26 mi awayGuadalupe Mountains National Park
National Park
50 mi awayPublic Libraries in Carlsbad
Carlsbad Public Library
101 S. Halagueno, Carlsbad
Cities Near Carlsbad
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Carlsbad?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Carlsbad FAQ
Is Carlsbad, New Mexico affordable?⌄
Carlsbad's median rent is $1,236/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $72,306/year. Median home value is $200,000.
Is Carlsbad, New Mexico safe?⌄
Carlsbad's violent crime rate was 576 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2721 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Carlsbad, New Mexico?⌄
Carlsbad has an unemployment rate of 3.2%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Carlsbad, New Mexico?⌄
The cost of living in Carlsbad is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,236/month and median household income is $72,306/year. The median home value is $200,000. About 29% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Carlsbad, New Mexico?⌄
The average commute in Carlsbad is 22 minutes, which is about 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