Lea County, New Mexico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lea County
|
|
|---|---|
Lea County Courthouse in Lovington
|
|
Location within the U.S. state of New Mexico
|
|
 New Mexico's location within the U.S. |
|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Mexico |
| Founded | March 17, 1917 |
| Seat | Lovington |
| Largest city | Hobbs |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4,394 sq mi (11,380 km2) |
| • Land | 4,391 sq mi (11,370 km2) |
| • Water | 3.3 sq mi (9 km2) 0.07%% |
| Population | |
| • Estimate
(2019)
|
71,070 |
| • Density | 15/sq mi (6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
Lea County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2010 census, its population was 64,727.
Its county seat is Lovington. It is both west and north of the Texas state line. Lea County comprises the Hobbs, NM micropolitan statistical area.
Contents
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,394 square miles (11,380 km2), of which 4,391 square miles (11,370 km2) is land and 3.3 square miles (8.5 km2) (0.07%) is water. Lea County is located in the southeast corner of New Mexico and borders Texas to the south and east.
Adjacent counties
- Roosevelt County - north
- Chaves County - west
- Eddy County - west
- Loving County, Texas - south
- Winkler County, Texas - southeast
- Andrews County, Texas - east
- Gaines County, Texas - east
- Yoakum County, Texas - east
- Cochran County, Texas - northeast
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 3,545 | — | |
| 1930 | 6,144 | 73.3% | |
| 1940 | 21,154 | 244.3% | |
| 1950 | 30,717 | 45.2% | |
| 1960 | 53,429 | 73.9% | |
| 1970 | 49,554 | −7.3% | |
| 1980 | 55,993 | 13.0% | |
| 1990 | 55,765 | −0.4% | |
| 2000 | 55,511 | −0.5% | |
| 2010 | 64,727 | 16.6% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 71,070 | 9.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2016 |
|||
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, 64,727 people, 22,236 households, and 16,260 families were living in the county. The population density was 14.7 inhabitants per square mile (5.7/km2). The 24,919 housing units averaged 5.7/sq mi (2.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 75.0% White, 4.1% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 16.6% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 51.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 9.3% were German, 7.6% were Irish, 7.2% were English, and 6.3% were American.
Of the 22,236 households, 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 26.9% were not families, and 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.30. The median age was 31.9 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $43,910 and for a family was $48,980. Males had a median income of $44,714 versus $25,847 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,637. About 15.2% of families and 17.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.5% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Airports
These public-use airports are located in the county:
- Lea County Regional Airport (HOB) – Hobbs
- Lea County-Jal Airport (E26) – Jal
- Lea County-Zip Franklin Memorial Airport (E06) – Lovington
- Tatum Airport (18T) – Tatum
Communities
Cities
Town
Census-designated places
Other unincorporated communities
Notable people
- Roy Cooper. Rodeo cowboy
- Kathy Whitworth, professional golfer
- Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears football linebacker (2000–2012)
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Lea para niños
