Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety2#907/924
Economy10#834/925
Housing93#66/925
Health12#814/925
Healthcare45#512/923
Environment94#54/917
Education17#766/925
Infrastructure1#913/925
Community10#828/925
Leisure & amenities15#789/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Española, NM micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Effective property tax rate · low0.22%
100/100New Mexico 0.63%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Rent as share of income · low20.3%
100/100New Mexico 30.1%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low4.0 µg/m³
99/100New Mexico 5.9 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAggregated from counties
Public libraries · high2.5 /10k
98/100New Mexico 0.6 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAggregated from counties
Rent-burdened households · low34.4%
96/100New Mexico 50.2%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070
Preventable hospital stays · low1,644 /100k
92/100New Mexico 2,042 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Drug overdose deaths · high168.0 /100k
0/100New Mexico 46.4 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Injury deaths · high221 /100k
0/100New Mexico 134 /100kUnited States 87 /100k2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Premature death · high21,216 /100k
0/100New Mexico 12,175 /100kUnited States 8,123 /100k2021-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Broadband subscriptions · low75.3%
1/100New Mexico 86.5%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002
Life expectancy · low69.4 yrs
2/100New Mexico 74.8 yrsUnited States 77.6 yrs2021-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Average commute time · high30.1 min
4/100New Mexico 23.5 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013

Trends

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

Hot daysWorsening
2 days (2011-2020) → 3 days (2016-2025)
+120%5 yearsUS 41 days → 42 days
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
57.6% (2015-2019) → 75.3% (2020-2024)
+18 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
New business applicationsImproving
4.5 /1k (2020) → 7.9 /1k (2025)
+76%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Grocery storesImproving
0.7 /10k (2020) → 1.3 /10k (2025)
+68%5 yearsUS 1.7 /10k → 1.7 /10k
High ozone daysImproving
3 days (2017) → 1 days (2022)
−67%5 yearsUS 9 days → 7 days
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
47.4% (2015-2019) → 34.4% (2020-2024)
−13 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%

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, Española, NM micropolitan area improved on 12 of 28 measures with a comparison and declined on 5. 6 moved within the margin of error and 5 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved12

Grocery stores+68%0.7 /10k → 1.3 /10k
Rent / income−8.1 points28.4% → 20.3%
Inequality−0.0530.508 → 0.456
Poverty−5.8 points24.0% → 18.2%
Rent burden−13 points47.4% → 34.4%

Declined5

Firearm deaths+78%15.5 /100k → 27.6 /100k
Overdose deaths+78%94.4 /100k → 168.0 /100k
Homicides+30%8.4 /100k → 10.9 /100k
Arts & recreation−6.2%3.5 /10k → 3.3 /10k
Pharmacies−16%1.5 /10k → 1.3 /10k

All 28 measures

Change of every measure of Española, NM micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	3.5 /10k2020	3.3 /10k2025	−6.2%	Declined	19%
Average commute time	28.9 min2015-2019	30.1 min2020-2024	+1.2 min	Within the margin of error	26%
Average weekly wage	$7912020	$9702025	+23%	Improved	43%
Bachelor's degree or higher	19.3%2015-2019	19.0%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	6%
Broadband subscriptions	57.6%2015-2019	75.3%2020-2024	+18 points	Improved	95%
Child poverty rate	28.9%2015-2019	27.1%2020-2024	−1.9 points	Within the margin of error	44%
Distance to an airport	86 mi2020	86 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	94.4 /100k2020	168.0 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	+78%	Declined	4%
Effective property tax rate	0.11%2015-2019	0.22%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Little change	1%
Firearm deaths	15.5 /100k2020	27.6 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+78%	Declined	4%
Grocery stores	0.7 /10k2020	1.3 /10k2025	+68%	Improved	99%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.5 /10k2020	0.8 /10k2025	+52%	Improved	89%
High school diploma or higher	86.4%2015-2019	87.7%2020-2024	+1.3 points	Within the margin of error	39%
Home price to income ratio	4.2×2015-2019	4.3×2020-2024	+0.1×	Within the margin of error	92%
Homicide rate	8.4 /100k2020	10.9 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+30%	Declined	9%
Income adjusted for local prices	$39,3632019	$56,4102024	+43%	Improved	94%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.5082015-2019	0.4562020-2024	−0.053	Improved	100%
Median household income	$39,9522015-2019	$57,1552020-2024	+43%	Improved	98%
New business applications	4.5 /1k2020	7.9 /1k2025	+76%	Improved	84%
Pharmacies	1.5 /10k2020	1.3 /10k2025	−16%	Declined	31%
Poverty rate	24.0%2015-2019	18.2%2020-2024	−5.8 points	Improved	98%
Public libraries	2.6 /10k2019	2.5 /10k2024	−2.7%	Little change	41%
Rent as share of income	28.4%2015-2019	20.3%2020-2024	−8.1 points	Improved	100%
Rent-burdened households	47.4%2015-2019	34.4%2020-2024	−13 points	Improved	99%
Restaurants and bars	5.0 /10k2020	4.8 /10k2025	−4%	Little change	29%
Traffic deaths	29.1 /100k2015-2019	29.5 /100k2020-2024	+1.1%	Little change	60%
Unemployment rate	8.3%2020	4.1%2025	−4.2 points	Improved	84%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	10.8%2015-2019	11.1%2020-2024	+0.2 points	Within the margin of error	35%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 786 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. 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 925 metro and micro areas 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.

Metro and micro areas like Española, NM micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Española, NM micropolitan area 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, Española, NM micropolitan area itself moved +5.7 points in standing on average over the same 27 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

40,070 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

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

Household income

15,647 households (±468)

Española, NM micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k22%3,509
$25k–50k23%3,624
$50k–75k17%2,706

Homes

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

Owners and renters

15,647 households (±468)

Española, NM micropolitan area
United States share

Own80%12,517
Rent20%3,130

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+3.1 points).

Table view

Getting to work

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

How people get to work

15,797 workers (±704)

Española, NM micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone77%12,179
Carpool9.0%1,418
Public transit0.6%†100

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 no occupation wages for Española, NM micropolitan area.

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.

Española, NM has 541 employer establishments, 136 for every 10,000 residents (0.55× the US rate of 248), with 5,426 paid employees at an average annual pay of $38,954. The Census Bureau also counts 2,240 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 541; 2,240 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 136; US 248
Paid employees: 5,426
Average annual pay: $38,954; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Española, NM by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	42	10.5	0.51×Fewer than typical	662	$41,801	312
Specialty trade contractors	42	10.5	0.68×Fewer than typical	109	$44,138	130
Restaurants and other eating places	40	10	0.55×Fewer than typical	694	$21,352	14
Construction of buildings	29	7.3	0.96×About typical	153	$43,392	67
Building equipment contractors	25	6.3	1.04×About typical	70	$45,014	42
Religious organizations	23	5.8	1.04×About typical	100	$23,300	—
Limited-service restaurants	20	5	0.62×Fewer than typical	412	$19,080	7
Gasoline stations	17	4.3	1.31×More than typical	126	$30,659	—
Full-service restaurants	16	4	0.52×Fewer than typical	242	$25,537	7
Electrical contractors and wiring installation	15	3.8	1.52×More than typical	52	$46,615	22
Traveler accommodation	15	3.8	2.08×More than typical	416	$30,721	20
Lessors of real estate	14	3.5	0.28×Fewer than typical	26	$29,077	97

Rank places for an industry

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 39,900 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.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
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 contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $25.5M on contracts performed in Española, NM micropolitan area: $639 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $25.5M; +244% vs FY2025
Per resident: $639; US $1,994
Sole-source: 5.5%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.9%; 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

Indian Health Service$9.9M39%
Federal Highway Administration$8.3M33%
Bureau of Reclamation$4.8M19%
Department of Veterans Affairs$971.8K3.8%
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources$417.4K1.6%
Forest Service$410.7K1.6%
Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education$375.7K1.5%
Department of the Army$264.3K1.0%

Top recipients

SIETE INC$8.3M33%
BAY AREA ANESTHESIA LLC$5.7M22%
ROBINS CONSTRUCTION LLC$3.8M15%
CHENHALLS STAFFING SERVICES, INC.$1.8M7.1%
AKICITA CYBER LLC$779.3K3.1%

Spending by fiscal year

9.2MFY2017
8.4MFY2018
7.6MFY2019
10.2MFY2020
39.8MFY2021
10.7MFY2022
10.8MFY2023
9M

Top industries (NAICS)

Highway, street, and bridge construction · 2373$8.6M34%
Offices of physicians · 6211$4.9M19%
Other heavy and civil engineering construction · 2379$3.8M15%
Offices of other health practitioners · 6213$2M8.0%
Office administrative services · 5611$1.8M7.1%
Residential intellectual, developmental, mental health, and substance abuse facilities · 6232

Largest awards

NM BR AAO EL VADO HERON & EL VADO ROAD REHABILITATION: CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT ROAD & PARKING REHABILITATION, FULL DEPTH RECLAMATION, ASPHALT CONCRETE PAVEMENT, CULVERTS, CONCRETE SIDEWALK/CURB, ADA ACCESSIBILITY, SIGNAGE & PAVEMENT MARKIN$8.3M
SIETE INC· Rio Arriba County, NM· Construction & real property· Mar 4, 2026 – Aug 13, 2026· 6982AF26C000018
JSU FAMILY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN NON PERSONAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES$6.2M
BAY AREA ANESTHESIA LLC· Rio Arriba County, NM· Health & medical· Jan 10, 2025 – Sep 9, 2026· 75H70725P00053
SJC AZOTEA PORTAL AND DROP STRUCTURES$3.8M
ROBINS CONSTRUCTION LLC· Rio Arriba County, NM· Construction & real property· Jan 23, 2026 – Jul 23, 2026· 140R4026C0004

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.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $300.6M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Española, NM micropolitan area: $7,545 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $300.6M; −1.7% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,545; US $12,955
Loan face value: $5.4M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.5%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$154.3M51%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$28M9.3%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$18.6M6.2%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$15.1M5.0%
20.263 · Bridge Formula Program$10.7M3.5%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$9.2M3.1%
20.287 · Surface Transportation Block Grant Program$5.8M1.9%
84.041 · Impact Aid$5.7M1.9%

Top recipients (organizations)

NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$20.3M6.8%
SANTA FE, NM
SANTA CLARA PUEBLO$10.7M3.6%
ESPANOLA, NM
DULCE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NUMBER TWENTY-ONE$5.2M1.7%
DULCE, NM
NORTHERN NEW MEXICO COLLEGE$4.2M1.4%
ESPANOLA, NM
WINDSTREAM COMMUNICATIONS, LLC

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$206.6M69%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$21.4M7.1%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$21M7.0%
Department of Transportation
Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education$14.3M4.8%
Department of the Interior
Department of Education

Assistance by fiscal year

269.6MFY2021
297.2MFY2022
281.6MFY2023
323.1MFY2024
305.9MFY2025
300.6MFY2026

County aggregates

76%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Española, NM

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Rio Arriba CountyCentral county1539,832

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

EspañolaPrincipal city10,473

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in New Mexico

Areas based in New Mexico, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

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.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
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
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M21580

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved12

Declined5

Metro and micro areas like Española, NM micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Española, NM

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in New Mexico

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved12

Declined5

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought