About
Life in Roswell
The job market is decent with 4.3% unemployment, though employment options lean toward agriculture, dairy operations, manufacturing, and the tourism sector rather than diverse professional fields. You'll want to be honest about the climate though: summers regularly hit 100+ degrees for about 30 days a year, and while the North American monsoon brings relief and dramatic thunderstorms, it also means dealing with occasional severe weather. Winters are mild but can dip below freezing with occasional snow.
Roswell at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
26.0%
Foreign-Born
11.2%
Broadband Internet
81.5%
of households
Population Growth
-3.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Roswell: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Roswell, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (81.1%), and 32.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.7%
of residents
65 and Older
16.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.0%
of households
Married Couples
36.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.59
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 18% below NM average
Rent, home values, and income in Roswell
In Roswell, rent runs 18% below the NM average, and home values are 38% below the NM average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.5%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$995
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
68.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1968
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $175,148 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for NM
Unemployment in Roswell
Unemployment in Roswell 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 Roswell Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.2 min avg
How Roswell residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Roswell, most residents drive alone to work (82%), and 85% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 6 mi
Roswell Air Center Airport (ROW)
Regional airport · few flights46k 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 101% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Roswell runs 101% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
661.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,364.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Roswell Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 47 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
87.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Chaves County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Chaves County, which includes Roswell, the most common type is drought, with 47 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 47 | Drought | $355,000 |
| 2024 | 51 | Drought | $511.3M |
| 2023 | 32 | Drought | $60,000 |
| 2022 | 25 | Drought | $1.6M |
| 2021 | 37 | Drought | $3.4M |
| 2020 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $60,000 |
| 2019 | 18 | Hail | $2.4M |
| 2018 | 5 | Hail | $300,000 |
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.
52 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Chaves County, county-wide
Air Quality29 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Chaves County, which includes Roswell, is typically good.
Median AQI
29
Chaves County, county-wide
Climate93°F summers, 24°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Roswell has hot summers (avg high 93°F) and cold winters (avg low 24°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
77°/42°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
93°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
57°/24°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
13.3"
Annual Snowfall
9.8"
Hot Days/Year
90
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
115
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
43
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 23°F | 0.43" |
| Feb | 61°F | 27°F | 0.36" |
| Mar | 69°F | 34°F | 0.57" |
| Apr | 76°F | 41°F | 0.67" |
| May | 85°F | 50°F | 1.03" |
| Jun | 94°F | 61°F | 0.74" |
| Jul | 94°F | 66°F | 1.95" |
| Aug | 92°F | 65°F | 1.61" |
| Sep | 84°F | 57°F | 1.60" |
| Oct | 76°F | 44°F | 1.45" |
| Nov | 64°F | 31°F | 0.61" |
| Dec | 56°F | 23°F | 0.60" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 1.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Roswell
Roswell has 2 hospitals, averaging 1.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
10.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
1.5 / 5
Lovelace Regional Hospital - Roswell
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Eastern New Mexico 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.
Education15.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Roswell
Roswell's student/teacher ratio is 15.7:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 18.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
17
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
18.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Roswell
Public · 2-year · 331 students · in-state tuition $7,400 · 43% graduate · median earnings $58,629 (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: Carlsbad Caverns National Park, 85 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Roswell
Roswell has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Carlsbad Caverns National Park (85 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
National Park
85 mi awayPublic Libraries in Roswell
Roswell Public Library
301 N. Pennsylvania Ave, Roswell
Cities Near Roswell
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Roswell?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Roswell FAQ
Is Roswell, New Mexico affordable?⌄
Roswell's median rent is $876/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $51,583/year. Median home value is $152,600.
Is Roswell, New Mexico safe?⌄
Roswell's violent crime rate was 662 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2364 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Roswell, New Mexico?⌄
Roswell has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Roswell, New Mexico?⌄
The cost of living in Roswell is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $876/month and median household income is $51,583/year. The median home value is $152,600. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Roswell, New Mexico?⌄
The average commute in Roswell 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