Hobbs, New Mexico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hobbs, New Mexico
|
|
|---|---|
|
City
|
|
| Motto(s):
"It All Happens Here"
|
|
Location of Hobbs, New Mexico
|
|
 Hobbs, New Mexico
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Lea |
| Area | |
| • Total | 26.44 sq mi (68.47 km2) |
| • Land | 26.40 sq mi (68.39 km2) |
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.09 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,642 ft (1,110 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 40,508 |
| • Density | 1,534.16/sq mi (592.35/km2) |
| Time zone | Mountain (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| ZIP codes |
88240-88242
|
| Area code(s) | 575 |
| FIPS code | 35-32520 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410771 |
Hobbs is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. It is located in the southeastern part of the state. In 2020, about 40,500 people lived there. Hobbs is the main city in the Hobbs, New Mexico micropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Lea County.
Contents
History of Hobbs
Hobbs was started in 1907. The James Hobbs family built their home there and gave the place its name. In 1910, the Hobbs post office opened. James Hobbs was the first postmaster. By 1911, about 25 families owned land in Hobbs.
The small town grew very fast after oil was found nearby in 1927. A factory to process oil was built in 1928. In 1929, Hobbs officially became a city. When the oil business was at its best, over 12,000 people lived in Hobbs.
However, during the Great Depression in 1931, oil prices dropped a lot. The number of people living in Hobbs fell to only about 3,000. But a few years later, the oil fields became busy again. The population grew to about 14,000 by 1940.
During World War II, in 1942, the Hobbs Army Air Base was built north of the city. After the war, in 1948, the city bought the air base. They turned it into the Hobbs Industrial Air Park. This park is still used today for gliding competitions.
The first college in Hobbs opened in 1956. It was first called First Baptist College. In 1962, its name changed to the University of the Southwest. A second college, New Mexico Junior College, opened in 1966.
Geography and Climate
Where is Hobbs Located?
Hobbs is located in New Mexico. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers about 18.9 square miles (48.9 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Hobbs Weather and Climate
Hobbs has a semiarid climate. This means it is usually dry. The city has hot summers and chilly winters. Most of the rain falls during the warmer months of the year.
| Climate data for Hobbs, New Mexico, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1913–2022 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 83 (28) |
87 (31) |
95 (35) |
98 (37) |
107 (42) |
114 (46) |
110 (43) |
108 (42) |
109 (43) |
98 (37) |
89 (32) |
84 (29) |
114 (46) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 73.1 (22.8) |
77.5 (25.3) |
84.4 (29.1) |
90.7 (32.6) |
97.9 (36.6) |
104.1 (40.1) |
102.6 (39.2) |
100.9 (38.3) |
97.2 (36.2) |
90.6 (32.6) |
79.7 (26.5) |
71.8 (22.1) |
105.7 (40.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 55.1 (12.8) |
60.7 (15.9) |
68.5 (20.3) |
77.1 (25.1) |
85.3 (29.6) |
93.4 (34.1) |
94.1 (34.5) |
92.0 (33.3) |
84.6 (29.2) |
76.0 (24.4) |
63.6 (17.6) |
55.7 (13.2) |
75.5 (24.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 42.3 (5.7) |
46.8 (8.2) |
54.0 (12.2) |
62.3 (16.8) |
71.3 (21.8) |
79.2 (26.2) |
81.4 (27.4) |
79.9 (26.6) |
72.7 (22.6) |
62.9 (17.2) |
50.9 (10.5) |
43.1 (6.2) |
62.2 (16.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 29.6 (−1.3) |
33.0 (0.6) |
39.5 (4.2) |
47.5 (8.6) |
57.3 (14.1) |
65.1 (18.4) |
68.7 (20.4) |
67.7 (19.8) |
60.7 (15.9) |
49.7 (9.8) |
38.1 (3.4) |
30.5 (−0.8) |
48.9 (9.4) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 16.7 (−8.5) |
18.7 (−7.4) |
23.8 (−4.6) |
32.5 (0.3) |
42.7 (5.9) |
56.1 (13.4) |
61.3 (16.3) |
60.8 (16.0) |
48.4 (9.1) |
34.1 (1.2) |
22.8 (−5.1) |
16.4 (−8.7) |
12.2 (−11.0) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −7 (−22) |
−2 (−19) |
1 (−17) |
17 (−8) |
27 (−3) |
37 (3) |
47 (8) |
45 (7) |
35 (2) |
12 (−11) |
4 (−16) |
−1 (−18) |
−7 (−22) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.50 (13) |
0.53 (13) |
0.63 (16) |
0.76 (19) |
1.91 (49) |
1.27 (32) |
1.74 (44) |
2.06 (52) |
2.46 (62) |
0.87 (22) |
0.53 (13) |
0.51 (13) |
13.77 (348) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.9 (2.3) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.5 (1.3) |
1.8 (4.61) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 2.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 5.2 | 5.5 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 37.2 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.9 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
People of Hobbs
Population Changes Over Time
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 598 | — | |
| 1940 | 10,619 | 1,675.8% | |
| 1950 | 13,875 | 30.7% | |
| 1960 | 26,275 | 89.4% | |
| 1970 | 26,025 | −1.0% | |
| 1980 | 29,153 | 12.0% | |
| 1990 | 29,115 | −0.1% | |
| 2000 | 28,657 | −1.6% | |
| 2010 | 34,122 | 19.1% | |
| 2020 | 40,508 | 18.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of Hobbs has changed a lot over the years. It grew quickly when oil was discovered. Then it dropped during the Great Depression. Since then, it has mostly grown steadily. In 2020, 40,508 people lived in Hobbs.
Who Lives in Hobbs?
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 11,515 | 28.43% |
| Black or African American | 2,058 | 5.08% |
| Native American | 312 | 0.77% |
| Asian | 491 | 1.21% |
| Pacific Islander | 17 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 1,039 | 2.56% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 25,076 | 61.9% |
In 2020, there were 40,508 people living in Hobbs. There were about 12,000 households. Many different groups of people make up the population of Hobbs. A large part of the population is of Hispanic or Latino background.
Economy and Jobs
The biggest industries in Hobbs are related to mining, especially oil and gas. Other important jobs are in retail (stores) and education (schools and colleges). Hobbs is also home to Zia Park. This is a place with a horse racetrack, a hotel, and a casino. It has many slot machines and table games.
Fun Things to Do in Hobbs
.jpg)
Hobbs is home to the main office of the Soaring Society of America. This group is all about gliding and flying without an engine.
You can also visit Zia Park Casino, Hotel, and Racetrack. Here you can watch horse races. They also have casino games, places to eat, and a hotel with 154 rooms.
Getting Around Hobbs
Major Roads
- US 62 runs east and west through Hobbs.
- NM 18 runs north and south.
- NM 132 runs north.
Train Service
The Texas & New Mexico Railway helps move goods by train in Hobbs.
Airport Travel
Lea County Regional Airport serves Hobbs. It has one airline that offers flights for passengers.
Education in Hobbs
Hobbs has several places for learning:
- University of the Southwest is a private Christian university.
- New Mexico Junior College is a public college.
- Hobbs Municipal Schools is the local school district.
- Hobbs High School is the main high school in the city.
Famous People from Hobbs
Many notable people have connections to Hobbs, New Mexico:
- Tony Benford, a college basketball coach.
- Ryan Bingham, a country singer and songwriter.
- Ray Birmingham, a national champion college baseball coach.
- Bill Bridges, a professional basketball player.
- James O. Browning, a federal judge.
- Diane Denish, a former lieutenant governor of New Mexico.
- Tharon Drake, a swimmer and U.S. Paralympic medalist.
- Rob Evans, a former head basketball coach.
- Colt McCoy, an NFL quarterback.
- Steve Pearce, a former congressman.
- Guy Penrod, a gospel singer.
- Timmy Smith, a former NFL player.
- Ralph Tasker, a famous high school basketball coach.
- Jeff Taylor and his son Jeffery Taylor, both professional basketball players.
- Harry Teague, a former congressman.
- Scott Terry, a former baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds.
- Polo Urias, a singer.
See also
In Spanish: Hobbs para niños
