Scores by category

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

Safety4#885/924
Economy14#793/925
Housing38#575/925
Health36#596/925
Healthcare59#377/923
Environment93#68/917
Education55#418/925
Infrastructure26#688/925
Community41#545/925
Leisure & amenities17#765/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

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

Strengths

Comfortable days · high35.2%
97/100New Mexico 31.7%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low4.8 µg/m³
96/100New Mexico 5.9 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAggregated from counties
Mental health providers · high665 /100k
95/100New Mexico 480 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Effective property tax rate · low0.38%
94/100New Mexico 0.63%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Preventable hospital stays · low1,562 /100k
93/100New Mexico 2,042 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Average commute time · low17.9 min
91/100New Mexico 23.5 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013

Weaknesses

Drought exposure · high100%
1/100New Mexico 84%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAAggregated from counties
New homes permitted · low0.0 /1k
1/100New Mexico 3.8 /1kUnited States 4.2 /1k2023U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Drug overdose deaths · high47.3 /100k
2/100New Mexico 46.4 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Median household income · low$44,958
2/100New Mexico $67,838United States $81,6042020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19013
Arts, entertainment and recreation · low1.5 /10k
3/100New Mexico 4.0 /10kUnited States 5.5 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Public transit commuters · low0.0%
3/100New Mexico 0.6%United States 3.2%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08301

Trends

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

New homes permittedWorsening
0.3 /1k (2018) → 0.0 /1k (2023)
−100%5 yearsUS 4.1 /1k → 4.5 /1k
Traffic deathsWorsening
13.7 /100k (2015-2019) → 26.7 /100k (2020-2024)
+94%5 yearsUS 11.3 /100k → 12.3 /100k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
70.6% (2015-2019) → 86.8% (2020-2024)
+16 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
New business applicationsImproving
5.5 /1k (2020) → 9.2 /1k (2025)
+66%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
56.6% (2010 & 2021) → 68.9% (2022 & 2024)
+12 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%
Drug overdose deathsWorsening
31.4 /100k (2021) → 47.3 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
+51%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k

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, Silver City, NM micropolitan area improved on 10 of 29 measures with a comparison and declined on 4. 8 moved within the margin of error and 7 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.

Improved10

Broadband+16 points70.6% → 86.8%
Weekly wage+33%$831 → $1,105
Poverty−4.5 points24.0% → 19.5%
Child poverty−9.7 points37.0% → 27.3%
Unemployment−5.4 points9.5% → 4.1%

Declined4

Libraries−27%1.5 /10k → 1.1 /10k
Traffic deaths+94%13.7 /100k → 26.7 /100k
Overdose deaths+73%27.3 /100k → 47.3 /100k
Uninsured+2.7 points4.7% → 7.4%

All 29 measures

Change of every measure of Silver City, NM micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	1.1 /10k2020	1.5 /10k2025	+38%	Improved	93%
Average commute time	17.1 min2015-2019	17.9 min2020-2024	+0.7 min	Within the margin of error	38%
Average weekly wage	$8312020	$1,1052025	+33%	Improved	97%
Bachelor's degree or higher	28.8%2015-2019	30.7%2020-2024	+1.8 points	Within the margin of error	28%
Broadband subscriptions	70.6%2015-2019	86.8%2020-2024	+16 points	Improved	93%
Child poverty rate	37.0%2015-2019	27.3%2020-2024	−9.7 points	Improved	95%
Distance to an airport	128 mi2020	128 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	27.3 /100k2020	47.3 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	+73%	Declined	5%
Effective property tax rate	0.45%2015-2019	0.38%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	27%
Firearm deaths	23.7 /100k2020	24.7 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+4.2%	Little change	42%
Grocery stores	1.4 /10k2020	1.5 /10k2025	+3.5%	Little change	64%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.4 /10k2020	0.4 /10k2025	+3.5%	Little change	50%
High school diploma or higher	87.5%2015-2019	90.7%2020-2024	+3.2 points	Within the margin of error	83%
Home price to income ratio	3.3×2015-2019	3.9×2020-2024	+0.6×	Within the margin of error	33%
Homicide rate	10.7 /100k2020	7.6 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−29%	Improved	55%
Income adjusted for local prices	$46,4352019	$63,7592024	+37%	Improved	82%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.5042015-2019	0.4812020-2024	−0.023	Within the margin of error	92%
Median household income	$37,8432015-2019	$44,9582020-2024	+19%	Improved	11%
New business applications	5.5 /1k2020	9.2 /1k2025	+66%	Improved	76%
Pharmacies	1.4 /10k2020	1.5 /10k2025	+3.5%	Little change	81%
Poverty rate	24.0%2015-2019	19.5%2020-2024	−4.5 points	Improved	95%
Public libraries	1.5 /10k2019	1.1 /10k2024	−27%	Declined	2%
Rent as share of income	31.3%2015-2019	28.9%2020-2024	−2.4 points	Within the margin of error	90%
Rent-burdened households	53.5%2015-2019	44.9%2020-2024	−8.6 points	Within the margin of error	96%
Restaurants and bars	8.9 /10k2020	8.8 /10k2025	−0.6%	Little change	43%
Suicide rate	26.7 /100k2020	27.2 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+1.9%	Little change	57%
Traffic deaths	13.7 /100k2015-2019	26.7 /100k2020-2024	+94%	Declined	1%
Unemployment rate	9.5%2020	4.1%2025	−5.4 points	Improved	95%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	4.7%2015-2019	7.4%2020-2024	+2.7 points	Declined	3%

“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 Silver City, NM micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Silver City, 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, Silver City, NM micropolitan area itself moved +3.3 points in standing on average over the same 28 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

27,775 residents

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: 70–79 women (+2.5 points).

Table view

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

Race and Hispanic origin

27,775 residents

Silver City, NM micropolitan area
United States share

White47%13,182
Black0.8%†221
Hispanic or Latino48%13,288
Asian0.9%†239
American Indian and Alaska Native0.6%†164
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races2.5%681

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Hispanic or Latino (−2.6 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

20,577 residents (±144)

Silver City, NM micropolitan area
United States share

No high school diploma9.3%1,923
High school or GED27%5,489
Some college24%4,868
Associate degree9.7%1,988
Bachelor's degree17%3,416
Graduate degree14%2,893

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: No high school diploma (−3.2 points).

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

11,295 households (±395)

Silver City, NM micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k24%2,662
$25k–50k32%3,608
$50k–75k13%1,413
$75k–100k9.2%1,039
$100k–150k13%1,522
$150k–200k5.6%†638
$200k or more3.7%†413

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under $25k (−10.2 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 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

11,295 households (±395)

Silver City, NM micropolitan area
United States share

Own76%8,561
Rent24%2,734

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+7.7 points).

Table view

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

Rent paid

2,466 households (±376)

Silver City, NM micropolitan area
United States share

Under $75040%977
$750–1,00041%1,007
$1,000–1,50019%†461

Home values

8,561 homes (±405)

Silver City, NM micropolitan area
United States share

Under $150k36%3,053
$150k–250k32%2,749
$250k–400k22%1,916

Age of homes

14,755 homes (±23)

Silver City, NM micropolitan area
United States share

2010 or later8.2%1,211
2000–20097.7%1,133
1980–199930%4,463

Size of homes

14,755 homes (±23)

Silver City, NM micropolitan area
United States share

Studio1.7%†249
1 bedroom8.2%1,204
2 bedrooms29%4,321

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

9,631 workers (±637)

Silver City, NM micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone72%6,966
Carpool11%†1,072
Public transit0.0%0
Walk3.8%†364
Bike0.2%†16
Work from home12%1,167
Other0.5%†46

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Drive alone (−10.0 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 B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

8,464 workers (±647)

Silver City, NM micropolitan area
United States share

Under 15 min48%4,076
15–29 min35%2,965
30–44 min7.8%661

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 no occupation wages for Silver City, 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.

Silver City, NM has 533 employer establishments, 194 for every 10,000 residents (0.78× the US rate of 248), with 5,976 paid employees at an average annual pay of $47,776. The Census Bureau also counts 1,792 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 533; 1,792 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 194; US 248
Paid employees: 5,976
Average annual pay: $47,776; US $68,342

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

Ambulatory health care services	54	19.7	0.94×About typical	498	$56,301	118
Restaurants and other eating places	48	17.5	0.95×About typical	684	$17,882	8
Specialty trade contractors	35	12.7	0.82×About typical	178	$39,006	97
Full-service restaurants	22	8	1.04×About typical	351	$18,838	4
Lessors of real estate	22	8	0.65×Fewer than typical	57	$36,965	131
Offices of other health practitioners	20	7.3	1.20×About typical	139	$58,129	49
Construction of buildings	19	6.9	0.91×About typical	112	$70,545	47
Limited-service restaurants	19	6.9	0.86×About typical	303	$17,409	—
Offices of physicians	18	6.6	1.01×About typical	227	$56,498	14
Building equipment contractors	17	6.2	1.03×About typical	109	$43,220	22
Religious organizations	17	6.2	1.12×About typical	58	$17,569	—
Automotive repair and maintenance	13	4.7	0.94×About typical	48	$27,646	37

Rank places for an industry

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 27,476 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 $95.8M on contracts performed in Silver City, NM micropolitan area: $3,517 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $95.8M; +191% vs FY2025
Per resident: $3,517; US $1,994
Sole-source: 2.1%; US 30%
Single offer: 5.5%; 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

Department of the Army$78.9M82%
Forest Service$16.4M17%
Department of Veterans Affairs$466.4K0.5%
Federal Acquisition Service$64.9K0.1%
Federal Aviation Administration$61.4K0.1%

Top recipients

BFBC LLC$78.9M82%
ROTAK LLC$8.1M8.4%
INTENTS EMERGENCY RESPONSE LLC$916.7K1.0%
R & G FOOD SERVICES INC$677.9K0.7%
HELICOPTER EXPRESS LLC$589.4K0.6%
310 DUST CONTROL LLC

Spending by fiscal year

3.4MFY2017
1.7MFY2018
1MFY2019
7.5MFY2020
105.5KFY2021
29.9MFY2022
16.7MFY2023
5.5MFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Highway, street, and bridge construction · 2373$78.9M82%
Nonscheduled air transportation · 4812$8.6M9.0%
Support activities for forestry · 1153$3.7M3.8%
Special food services · 7223$1.1M1.2%
Consumer goods rental · 5322$865.6K0.9%
Services to buildings and dwellings · 5617$252.9K0.3%

Largest awards

DESIGN BUILD CONSTRUCTION SERVICES OF APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES OF PROTECTIVE BARRIER FENCING WITH 5-FOOT ANTI-CLIMB PLATE, ACCESS GATE INSTALLATIONS AND ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT WITHIN THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AREA 1, ROOSEVELT CORRIDOR NEAR ANTELOPE WELLS, NM.$78.9M
BFBC LLC· Grant County, NM· Construction & real property· Dec 9, 2025 – Feb 10, 2026· W912PL26CA002
ROTAK - T1 EU FOR SILVER CITY, NM$18.8M
ROTAK LLC· Grant County, NM· Facilities & utilities· Mar 25, 2025 – Sep 21, 2026· 1202SA25K9215
SVC ARSR INFRASTRUCTURE FULL FACILITY UPGRADES & ESTABLISH LIVING QUARTERS AT SILVER CITY, NM. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SOW AND DRAWINGS.$7M
BP CONSTRUCTION JV LLC· Grant County, NM· Professional services· Sep 21, 2023 – Mar 6, 2026· 6973GH23C00162

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 $259.8M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Silver City, NM micropolitan area: $9,532 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $259.8M; −12% vs FY2025
Per resident: $9,532; US $12,955
Loan face value: $6.2M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 1.2%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$157.9M61%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$22.2M8.5%

Counties in Silver City, 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.

Grant CountyCentral county2427,252

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

Silver CityPrincipal city9,536

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.

Deming, NM3

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
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/M43500

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved10

Declined4

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

Who lives here

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Getting to work

How people get to work

Time to 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

Counties in Silver City, 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

Improved10

Declined4

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Household income

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Top programs

What was bought

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

By type

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates