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Living in
Chaparral.
Chaparral is an unincorporated community in Doña Ana County, NM. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Chaparral
Living in Chaparral means embracing life as a bedroom community—most residents here work elsewhere, primarily in El Paso (about 20 miles south) or at military installations like Fort Bliss and White Sands, which anchor the regional economy and job market. The 32-minute average commute is real and something to factor into your daily routine, though the trade-off is affordable housing with a median home value around $109,000 and median rent under $900, paired with a median household income of $46,000 that stretches further here than in many Western metros. This is a young, family-oriented community—nearly half of households have children under 18, and about 65% of the population is Latino, giving Chaparral a distinct cultural character with deep roots in the region.
Chaparral at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
31.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
27.4%
Foreign-Born
30.6%
Broadband Internet
90.0%
of households
Median household income
Demographics30.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Chaparral: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Chaparral, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (93.0%), and 72.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.7%
of residents
65 and Older
13.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
46.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
17.1%
of households
Married Couples
47.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.59
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 20% below NM average
Rent, home values, and income in Chaparral
In Chaparral, rent runs 20% below the NM average, and home values are 56% below the NM average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
30.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
8.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
90.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$588
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
69.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1994
median year built
Vacant Homes
14.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $216,788 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts above NM average
Unemployment in Chaparral
Unemployment in Doña Ana County, which includes Chaparral, is 0.7 percentage points higher than the NM average.
Unemployment rate
Chaparral: Doña Ana County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Doña Ana County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Chaparral Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute29.9 min avg
How Chaparral residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Chaparral, most residents drive alone to work (84%), and 44% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 15 mi
El Paso International Airport (ELP)
Small hub1.9M 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.
Safety
Crime rates
Crime data not available
No police agency in the FBI's crime data covers Chaparral, so there's no local crime rate to show.
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 37 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Doña Ana County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Doña Ana County, which includes Chaparral, the most common type is drought, with 37 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | Drought | $250,000 |
| 2024 | 23 | Drought | $30,000 |
| 2023 | 11 | Drought | None reported |
| 2022 | 21 | Drought | $550,000 |
| 2021 | 24 | Drought | $1.3M |
| 2020 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $100,000 |
| 2019 | 10 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 6 | High Wind | None reported |
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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Doña Ana County, county-wide
Air Quality70 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in El Paso County, TX (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 20 miles from Chaparral) is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
70
Good Days
66
per year
Moderate Days
236
per year
Unhealthy Days
30
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: El Paso County, TX (20 mi away)
Climate94°F summers, 36°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Chaparral has hot summers (avg high 94°F) and mild winters (avg low 36°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
79°/52°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
94°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
77°/54°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
59°/36°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
10.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
114
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
53
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
51
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 34°F | 0.54" |
| Feb | 63°F | 39°F | 0.31" |
| Mar | 70°F | 45°F | 0.15" |
| Apr | 79°F | 51°F | 0.03" |
| May | 88°F | 61°F | 0.28" |
| Jun | 95°F | 70°F | 0.70" |
| Jul | 94°F | 73°F | 2.43" |
| Aug | 92°F | 72°F | 1.61" |
| Sep | 87°F | 66°F | 1.42" |
| Oct | 78°F | 54°F | 0.72" |
| Nov | 66°F | 41°F | 0.43" |
| Dec | 56°F | 34°F | 0.52" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Chaparral
Uninsured
18.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Chaparral's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
William Beaumont Amg (ft Bliss)
Acute Care - Department of Defense · ER available · 14.1 mi away · El Paso
Rio Vista Behavioral Health
Psychiatric · 14.1 mi away · El Paso
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.
Education15.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Chaparral
Chaparral's student/teacher ratio is 15.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 10.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
10.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Chaparral (within 15 miles)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 600 students · 72% graduate · median earnings $41,422 (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: Chamizal National Memorial, 18 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Chaparral
Chaparral has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Chamizal National Memorial (18 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Chamizal National Memorial
National Memorial
18 mi awayButterfield Overland National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
29 mi awayWhite Sands National Park
National Park
52 mi awayGuadalupe Mountains National Park
National Park
90 mi awayCities Near Chaparral
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Chaparral?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Chaparral FAQ
Is Chaparral, New Mexico affordable?⌄
Chaparral's median rent is $853/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $46,017/year. Median home value is $109,300.
What is the job market like in Chaparral, New Mexico?⌄
Doña Ana County, which includes Chaparral, has an unemployment rate of 4.9%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Chaparral, New Mexico?⌄
The cost of living in Chaparral is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $853/month and median household income is $46,017/year. The median home value is $109,300. About 30% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Chaparral, New Mexico?⌄
The average commute in Chaparral is 30 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