88011 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
88011
88012
Opportunity
55 · Top 50%
vs50 · Bottom 40%
Growth
66 · Top 21%
vs66 · Top 21%
Climate
66 · Bottom 39%
vs66 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 16%
vs22 · Bottom 16%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 44%
vs82 · Top 48%
Access
82 · Bottom 24%
vs74 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 26%
vs51 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | 88011 | 88012 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,064 | 33,158 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,875 | $69,052 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,149 | $32,705 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 131/sq mi | 95/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $333,400 | $249,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,146 | $1,325 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.8% | 76.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.6% | 35.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.0% | 14.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 617 | 617 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.4 | 5.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.7% | -12.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 10.3" | 10.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 32.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.28 | 13.24 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 95.4% | 100.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
88011
Elevated or high exposure: drought, inland flooding.
88012
Elevated or high exposure: drought, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 88011 — Las Cruces, NM · 88012 — Las Cruces, NM · How this is calculated: methodology