HomeNew MexicoSierra County
Sierra County, New Mexico: commercial real estate data.
Sierra County, New Mexico had an estimated 11,389 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 11,576, across 4,179 square miles. County output reached $423.0 m in 2024, 222 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 26 7(a) approvals worth $9.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Sierra County
How many people live in Sierra County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202411,500
- Households5,440
- Average household size2.11
- Median household income$41,600
- Median age57.6
- Median gross rent$729 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$152,600
- Home value to household income3.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income21.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over9,259
- Population under 181,795
- Share under 1815.6 percent
- Population 65 and over4,465
- Share 65 and over38.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 645,240
- Civilian labor force3,653
- Unemployment rate4.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over37.6 percent
- Rank by population among New Mexico counties25th of 33
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2388th of 3,222
Sierra County is the 25th largest of 33 New Mexico counties by population. A median home costs 3.7 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 38.8 percent against 15.6 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Sierra County
Is Sierra County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202411,389
- Census 2020 base population11,576
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.62 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-146
- Births, 202488
- Deaths, 2024271
- Natural change, 2024-183
- Net domestic migration, 202433
- Net international migration, 20243
- Total net migration, 202436
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024592
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2396th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.62 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Sierra County
Where are people moving to Sierra County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving366
- People arriving, from those returns589
- Tax returns filed by households leaving289
- Net household movement77
- Adjusted gross income arriving$16.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$3.3 m
- Average income of an arriving household$45,883
- Average income of a leaving household$46,630
- Largest single originDoña Ana County (46 households)
- Largest single destinationDoña Ana County (54 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doña Ana County | 46 | 74 | $2.9 m |
| Bernalillo County | 37 | 58 | $1.9 m |
Households arriving report $747 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Doña Ana County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Sierra County
What is the Sierra County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$423.0 m
- County GDP, 2023$403.1 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.9 percent
- GDP change over five years27.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among the New Mexico areas BEA publishes25th of 33
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2512th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$36,783
Output grew 4.9 percent in the latest year and 27.7 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Sierra County
Employment by industry in Sierra County
- Covered employment, annual average3,522
- Establishments reporting386
- Average annual pay$44,291
- Average weekly wage$852
- Health care and social assistance, employment723
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$44,234
- Retail trade, employment494
- Retail trade, average annual pay$28,417
- Construction, employment184
- Construction, average annual pay$65,522
- Manufacturing, employment125
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$42,295
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment72
- Other services, except public administration, employment70
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 723 | 70 | $44,234 |
| Retail trade | 494 | 38 | $28,417 |
| Construction | 184 | 27 | $65,522 |
| Manufacturing | 125 | 6 | $42,295 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 72 | 18 | $38,421 |
| Other services, except public administration | 70 | 18 | $23,680 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 60 | 8 | $121,565 |
| Utilities | 27 | 3 | $79,868 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 723 jobs, 20.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Sierra County
How many businesses are in Sierra County?
- Establishments, all industries222
- Employment at those establishments2,180
- Annual payroll$79.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.3
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Sierra County
SBA loans in Sierra County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded26
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$9.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$344,373
- Median 7(a) approval$223,500
- 10th percentile approval$38,500
- 90th percentile approval$606,750
- Largest single approval$2,800,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)165
- Jobs per approval6.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active7
- Distinct industries receiving approvals22
- Median 7(a) term180 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer50.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms13
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter13
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals7.7 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (3)
- Most active lenderFirst Savings Bank (19)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.0 m
- Average 504 approval$1,991,000
- Median 504 approval$1,991,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval1.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved0.5
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$10.9 m
The average approval of $344,373 sits well above the median of $223,500, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. 50.0 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Sierra County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Sierra County
Do SBA loans in Sierra County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded10
- Paid in full10
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure13
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Paid in full10
Only 10 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Sierra County
SBA lending by place in Sierra County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Truth or Consequences, approvals16
- Elephant Butte, approvals6
- Winston, approvals2
- Williamsburg, approvals1
- Monticello, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Truth or Consequences | 16 | $5,969,700 |
| Elephant Butte | 6 | $2,572,500 |
| Winston | 2 | $67,000 |
| Williamsburg | 1 | $315,000 |
| Monticello | 1 | $29,500 |
Truth or Consequences accounts for 16 approvals against 6 in Elephant Butte. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Sierra County
How large is Sierra County?
- Land area4,179 sq mi
- Rank by land area among New Mexico counties12th of 33
- Width, east to west96.3 mi
- Height, north to south60.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land3
- Establishments per square mile0.05
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Sierra County
Flood risk in Sierra County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Sierra County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 350071
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Sierra County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Sierra County (community 350071), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Sierra County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Sierra County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Sierra County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202411,500
- Households5,440
- Average household size2.11
- Median household income$41,600
- Median age57.6
Common questions
Sierra County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Sierra County, New Mexico?
The Census Bureau estimates 11,389 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 11,500, in 5,440 households, ranking 25th of 33 New Mexico counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Sierra County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.62 percent since the 2020 census base of 11,576, to 11,389 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 88 births against 271 deaths, with net migration of 36. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Sierra County?
$41,600. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $152,600, which is 3.7 times income, and median gross rent is $729 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Sierra County?
222 establishments, employing 2,180 people with an annual payroll of $79.7 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Sierra County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 723 jobs, 20.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 3,522 jobs at an average annual pay of $44,291, or $852 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Sierra County?
26 7(a) approvals totaling $9.0 m since FY2020, across 7 lenders, with a median approval of $223,500, plus 1 504 approvals worth $2.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is the radon zone for Sierra County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Sierra County come from?
The largest single origin is Doña Ana County, with 46 households. Arriving households report an average income of $45,883 against $46,630 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Sierra County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Sierra County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Sierra County
Cities and places in Sierra.
11 Census places lie wholly or partly in Sierra County. All 11 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truth or Consequences | city | 6,019 | 16 | Wholly in this county |
| Elephant Butte | city | 1,790 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Arrey | CDP | 491 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Williamsburg | village | 466 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Las Palomas | CDP | 304 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Caballo | CDP | 233 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hillsboro | CDP | 150 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hot Springs Landing | CDP | 110 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Oasis | CDP | 75 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kingston | CDP | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Winston | CDP | 0 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 26 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Sierra County, the largest being Monticello (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby