RANK #717 / 996 · POP 219,870 · NM
PROJECTED GROWTH: -0.1%
Doña Ana County, New Mexico, is characterized by its desert landscape framed by the Organ Mountains, a prominent landmark that defines the eastern skyline. Located in southern New Mexico, bordering El Paso County, Texas, and Chihuahua, Mexico, the county seat of Las Cruces is the state's second-most populous municipality. Commutes within the county and to El Paso are facilitated by various public transportation options, including Roadrunner Transit and the NMDOT Park and Ride. The region offers extensive outdoor recreation, with trails for hiking, biking, and wildlife observation in areas like Dripping Springs Natural Area, Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, and Prehistoric Trackways National Monument.
Life in Doña Ana County blends a strong agricultural tradition, particularly known for chile and pecan production, with increasing urbanization. The area attracts a mix of families, students attending New Mexico State University, and retirees, drawn by the quality of life and natural amenities. The economy is experiencing growth in service-related industries, with recent significant investments in data centers and energy infrastructure. These developments aim to create new jobs and contribute to the region's economic landscape.
Below national median (4.7x)
Below national median
Prices declining
Housing is fairly valued at 4.6x relative to local economic output. Climate and geography support a structural premium. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Project Jupiter Data Center Campus
STACK Infrastructure, BorderPlex Digital Assets, Oracle, OpenAI
|
$165,000M | Under Construction |
|
Milagro Solar + Storage Project
EDF Renewables, El Paso Electric (EPE)
|
$150M | Operating |
|
Santa Teresa Solar & Storage Facility
DESRI, El Paso Electric (EPE)
|
$150M | Under Construction |
|
Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements (Project Jupiter commitment)
STACK Infrastructure, BorderPlex Digital Assets
|
$50M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.
Doña Ana County has a Boom Town Index score of 28/100, ranking #717 among 996 U.S. counties. With job growth at +2.2% and a median household income of $51,232, it faces some economic headwinds compared to faster-growing counties.
The median home value in Doña Ana County is $187,400 with median rent at $858/month. The income-to-home-value ratio is 0.2734, which is more affordable than the national average.
Population growth: +0.8% year-over-year. Job growth: +2.2%. Home values changed -0.8% in the past 12 months.
Yes — 2.58% of Doña Ana County's population moved from another state, which is above the national average and indicates strong in-migration.