Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety3#15,179/15,637
Economy5#14,920/15,631
Housing57#6,391/14,977
Health9#14,266/15,609
Healthcare15#13,266/15,650
Environment74#4,027/15,453
Education9#14,187/15,649
Infrastructure1#15,421/15,650
Community2#15,396/15,651
Leisure & amenities6#14,710/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where La Plata, New Mexico ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “San Juan County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low5.1 µg/m³
96/100New Mexico 5.9 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencySan Juan County value
Dentists · high110 /100k
93/100New Mexico 70 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteSan Juan County value
Effective property tax rate · low0.52%
86/100New Mexico 0.63%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Days with unhealthy air · low0.0%
84/100New Mexico 4.3%2025U.S. Environmental Protection AgencySan Juan County value
High ozone days · low0 days
76/100New Mexico 4 daysUnited States 7 days2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencySan Juan County value
Average commute time · low23.5 min
67/100New Mexico 23.5 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013

Weaknesses

Broadband subscriptions · low75.8%
1/100New Mexico 86.5%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002
Mental health care shortage · high20.0
1/100New Mexico 16.6United States 9.9Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationSan Juan County value
Mammography screening · low28.0%
1/100New Mexico 38.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteSan Juan County value
Premature death · high17,661 /100k
2/100New Mexico 12,175 /100kUnited States 8,123 /100k2021-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteSan Juan County value
Injury deaths · high161 /100k
2/100New Mexico 134 /100kUnited States 87 /100k2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteSan Juan County value
Drought exposure · high99%
2/100New Mexico 84%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAASan Juan County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
503 (2015-2019) → 2,233 (2020-2024)
+344%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
37.5% (2015-2019) → 23.3% (2020-2024)
−14 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Home price to income ratioWorsening
2.2× (2015-2019) → 3.7× (2020-2024)
+68%5 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×
Poverty rateWorsening
22.2% (2015-2019) → 35.7% (2020-2024)
+13 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Bachelor's degree or higherWorsening
24.7% (2015-2019) → 15.4% (2020-2024)
−9.3 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Average commute timeImproving
37.7 min (2015-2019) → 23.5 min (2020-2024)
−38%5 yearsCensus table B08013US 26.9 min → 26.4 min

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, La Plata, New Mexico improved on 0 of 10 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 10 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved0

No measure improved by more than its margin of error.

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 10 measures

Change of every measure of La Plata, New Mexico between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	37.7 min2015-2019	23.5 min2020-2024	−14.2 min	Within the margin of error	100%
Bachelor's degree or higher	24.7%2015-2019	15.4%2020-2024	−9.3 points	Within the margin of error	2%
Broadband subscriptions	81.0%2015-2019	75.8%2020-2024	−5.2 points	Within the margin of error	2%
Effective property tax rate	0.52%2015-2019	0.52%2020-2024	+0 points	Within the margin of error	15%
High school diploma or higher	85.7%2015-2019	83.3%2020-2024	−2.3 points	Within the margin of error	14%
Home price to income ratio	2.2×2015-2019	3.7×2020-2024	+1.5×	Within the margin of error	9%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3632015-2019	0.4852020-2024	+0.121	Within the margin of error	3%
Median household income	$68,6542015-2019	$57,0712020-2024	−17%	Within the margin of error	2%
Poverty rate	22.2%2015-2019	35.7%2020-2024	+13 points	Within the margin of error	2%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like La Plata, New Mexico five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of La Plata, New Mexico in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, La Plata, New Mexico itself moved −23.9 points in standing on average over the same 8 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

2,233 residents (±372)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 40–49 women (+7.9 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

2,233 residents (±372)

La Plata, New Mexico
New Mexico share

White55%1,228
Black1.9%†42
Hispanic or Latino16%†348
Asian0.0%0
American Indian and Alaska Native21%†469
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races6.5%†146

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: White (−18.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

1,753 residents (±337)

La Plata, New Mexico
New Mexico share

No high school diploma17%†292
High school or GED27%†469
Some college29%†515
Associate degree12%†207
Bachelor's degree7.5%†132
Graduate degree7.9%†138

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

814 households (±150)

La Plata, New Mexico
New Mexico share

Under $25k24%†196
$25k–50k16%†129
$50k–75k19%†158
$75k–100k21%†168
$100k–150k13%†102
$150k–200k5.0%†41
$200k or more2.5%†20

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

814 households (±150)

La Plata, New Mexico
New Mexico share

Own83%675
Rent17%†139

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

86 households (±47)

La Plata, New Mexico
New Mexico share

Under $75038%†33
$750–1,00030%†26
$1,000–1,5000.0%0

Home values

675 homes (±151)

La Plata, New Mexico
New Mexico share

Under $150k24%†164
$150k–250k40%†271
$250k–400k24%†165

Age of homes

908 homes (±154)

La Plata, New Mexico
New Mexico share

2010 or later5.3%†48
2000–200920%†179
1980–199954%†488

Size of homes

908 homes (±154)

La Plata, New Mexico
New Mexico share

Studio6.3%†57
1 bedroom9.8%†89
2 bedrooms17%†150

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

647 workers (±205)

La Plata, New Mexico
New Mexico share

Drive alone81%†527
Carpool15%†98
Public transit0.0%0
Walk0.0%0
Bike0.0%0
Work from home3.4%†22
Other0.0%0

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

625 workers (±202)

La Plata, New Mexico
New Mexico share

Under 15 min13%†84
15–29 min52%†323
30–44 min32%†198

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Farmington, NM

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of San Juan County, the county holding most of La Plata's residents.

San Juan County has 2,475 employer establishments, 205 for every 10,000 residents (0.83× the US rate of 248; 0.97× New Mexico's), with 35,168 paid employees at an average annual pay of $52,919. The Census Bureau also counts 5,953 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 2,475; 5,953 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 205; US 248 · New Mexico 212
Paid employees: 35,168
Average annual pay: $52,919; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of San Juan County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	214	17.7	0.85×About typical	2,950	$62,825	339
Restaurants and other eating places	184	15.2	0.83×About typical	4,397	$19,965	36
Specialty trade contractors	155	12.8	0.83×About typical	1,607	$55,106	371
Limited-service restaurants	108	8.9	1.12×About typical	2,399	$18,747	18
Lessors of real estate	85	7	0.57×Fewer than typical	250	$41,892	621
Automotive repair and maintenance	72	6	1.18×About typical	381	$40,118	120
Truck transportation	72	6	1.18×About typical	751	$66,529	152
Building equipment contractors	70	5.8	0.96×About typical	598	$61,339	68
Offices of physicians	68	5.6	0.87×About typical	676	$116,809	37
Offices of other health practitioners	63	5.2	0.86×About typical	284	$50,011	125
Religious organizations	63	5.2	0.94×About typical	509	$21,568	—
Gasoline stations	62	5.1	1.58×More than typical	515	$25,823	—

Rank places for an industry Open San Juan County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 120,754 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $18.8M of federal contract obligations were for work performed in La Plata, New Mexico: $8,423 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $18.8M; +101% vs FY2025
Per resident: $8,423; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.4%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.5%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Bureau of Reclamation$18.6M99%
Departmental Offices$55.7K0.3%
Federal Acquisition Service$51.2K0.3%
Department of the Army$41.3K0.2%
Federal Aviation Administration$19.1K0.1%
Department of Veterans Affairs$10.8K0.1%
Indian Health Service$9,2250.0%
Department of Energy$6,6990.0%

Top recipients

AMES FEDERAL CONTRACTING GROUP LLC$8.4M45%
FLATLAND ENERGY SERVICES LLC$4.9M26%
CARSTENSEN CONTRACTING INC$4.7M25%
JACOBS PROJECT MANAGEMENT CO.$549.1K2.9%
ARCHER WESTERN CONSTRUCTION, LLC$54.8K0.3%

Spending by fiscal year

4.4MFY2017
443.9KFY2018
1.9MFY2019
3.9MFY2020
2.9MFY2021
9.6MFY2022
2.8MFY2023
9.5M

Top industries (NAICS)

Utility system construction · 2371$18.5M98%
Nonscheduled air transportation · 4812$52.9K0.3%
Wholesale trade agents and brokers · 4251$51.2K0.3%
Other heavy and civil engineering construction · 2379$41.3K0.2%
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services · 5416$33.6K0.2%
Water, sewage and other systems · 2213$32.5K0.2%

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in La Plata, New Mexico, so they do not add up across cities.

La Plata, New Mexico's figures are part of those of San Juan County, NM ($338.2M in FY2026), never added to them: 5.6% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: La Plata is mostly in San Juan County.

See federal money in San Juan County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

La Plata, New Mexico is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Teresa Leger FernandezD-NM-3 · 100% of residentsWith party 99%Missed 8.7%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

San Juan County5100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Farmington, NM7

Other cities and towns in San Juan County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/3539030

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends