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Living in
Portales.
About
Life in Portales
Portales is a community of 12,023 people in New Mexico. The median household income is $50,555, median rent runs about $903 per month, and median home values are around $132,900. Unemployment is low at 3.8%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Portales at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
27.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
28.1%
Foreign-Born
8.0%
Broadband Internet
88.2%
of households
Population Growth
-3.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Portales: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Portales, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (66.6%), and 21.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
29.0%
of residents
65 and Older
12.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
36.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.5%
of households
Married Couples
30.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.42
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 Portales
In Portales, rent runs 15% below the NM average, and home values are 46% below the NM average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.5%
spending 50%+
Homeowners
47.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1976
median year built
Vacant Homes
14.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $134,876 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below NM average
Unemployment in Portales
Unemployment in Roosevelt County, which includes Portales, is 0.4 percentage points lower than the NM average.
Unemployment rate
Portales: Roosevelt County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Roosevelt County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Portales Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute12.3 min avg
How Portales residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Portales, most residents drive alone to work (82%), and 86% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 22 mi
Clovis Municipal Airport (CVN)
Regional airport · few flights12k 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 27% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Portales runs 27% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
418.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,230.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Portales Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 23 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
84.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Roosevelt County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Roosevelt County, which includes Portales, the most common type is drought, with 23 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | $260,000 |
| 2024 | 18 | Flash Flood | $10,000 |
| 2023 | 26 | Drought | $120,000 |
| 2022 | 15 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 25 | Drought | $292,000 |
| 2020 | 15 | Drought | $25,000 |
| 2019 | 13 | Flash Flood | $2.2M |
| 2018 | 3 | Hail | 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.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Roosevelt County, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate93°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Portales has hot summers (avg high 93°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
77°/43°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
93°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
57°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
16.1"
Annual Snowfall
7.6"
Hot Days/Year
85
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
104
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
63
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55°F | 26°F | 0.50" |
| Feb | 61°F | 29°F | 0.37" |
| Mar | 69°F | 35°F | 0.74" |
| Apr | 77°F | 43°F | 0.68" |
| May | 85°F | 53°F | 1.51" |
| Jun | 93°F | 62°F | 2.14" |
| Jul | 93°F | 66°F | 2.29" |
| Aug | 91°F | 65°F | 2.91" |
| Sep | 85°F | 57°F | 1.92" |
| Oct | 76°F | 45°F | 1.82" |
| Nov | 63°F | 33°F | 0.56" |
| Dec | 55°F | 26°F | 0.66" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Portales
Portales has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
10.8%
of residents
Roosevelt General Hospital
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.
Education25.4% college degree rate
Schools and degree attainment in Portales
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
25.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Portales
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus
Public · 4-year · 3,357 students · in-state tuition $7,194 · 51% graduate · median earnings $44,198 (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 & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Portales
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Portales
Portales Public Library
218 S. Ave. B, Portales
Cities Near Portales
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Portales?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Portales FAQ
Is Portales, New Mexico affordable?⌄
Portales's median rent is $903/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $50,555/year. Median home value is $133,400.
Is Portales, New Mexico safe?⌄
Portales's violent crime rate was 419 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1230 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Portales, New Mexico?⌄
Roosevelt County, which includes Portales, has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Portales, New Mexico?⌄
The cost of living in Portales is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $903/month and median household income is $50,555/year. The median home value is $133,400. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Portales, New Mexico?⌄
The average commute in Portales is 12 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