Jobs, pay and daily life in Hobbs, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Hobbs is a city in New Mexico with 40,252 residents. The median household earns $64,021 a year and the median rent is $1,112 a month, which is 20.8% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Hobbs compares. Among the 40 largest places in New Mexico, Hobbs is #7 by population, #38 for remote work (#1 = most), #30 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #30 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Lea County, is #3 of 33 counties for average pay ($69,342).
Hobbs has 40,252 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.9% of the population of New Mexico. It covers 26 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,524 people per square mile. The median age is 32.5, 18% younger than the state median (32.5 against 39.4).
The median gross rent is $1,112 a month (rent plus utilities), 4% above the state median ($1,112 against $1,067). Over a year that is 20.8% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $191,300, which is 3.0 times the median household income ($64,021); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 66.0% of households own their home, 6% below the state average (66.0% against 70.0%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lea County was 4.1%. 61.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lea County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 76.1% drive alone, 0.3% use public transit, 2.2% walk, 2.3% work from home. 15.4% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 20% above the state average (15.4% against 12.8%).
17.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 44% below the state share (17.3% against 31.0%). 18.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 95% above the state share (18.4% against 9.4%). The poverty rate is 19.7%, 10% above the state rate (19.7% against 17.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 83°F (28.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 42°F (5.7°C). About 353 mm (14 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Sep is the wettest month (58 mm) and Jan the driest (12 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: North Hobbs (4 miles, rent 19% higher); Lovington (18 miles, rent 9% lower); Carlsbad (67 miles, rent 11% higher); West Odessa (73 miles, rent 20% lower). Rent differences are against Hobbs; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in New Mexico (864) →State guide: New MexicoCountry guideLea CountyNew Mexico rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 864 federal postings open in New Mexico (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 17.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 13.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 11.5% |
| Construction | 10.9% |
| Retail trade | 10.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.1% |
| Manufacturing | 4.5% |
| Other services | 4.2% |
| Public administration | 4.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.1% |
| Information | 2.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Hobbs lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lea County | 73,733 | $12,858 million | $174,384 | 33,770 | 2,195 | $69,342 | +4.6% | 4.1% | 34,795 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mining, oil and gas | 8,171 | 27.7% | $101,206 | 63.97 |
| Retail trade | 3,451 | 11.7% | $36,639 | 1.02 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,262 | 11.1% | $25,301 | 1.06 |
| Construction | 2,994 | 10.2% | $75,775 | 1.69 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,641 | 9.0% | $50,915 | 0.55 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,075 | 7.0% | $89,080 | 1.45 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,451 | 4.9% | $52,064 | 0.73 |
| Wholesale trade | 897 | 3.0% | $89,986 | 0.67 |
| Professional and technical services | 859 | 2.9% | $67,511 | 0.37 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 722 | 2.5% | $55,550 | 0.71 |
| Manufacturing | 622 | 2.1% | $104,345 | 0.22 |
| Real estate and rental | 526 | 1.8% | $74,072 | 1.00 |
| Finance and insurance | 442 | 1.5% | $61,918 | 0.32 |
| Utilities | 436 | 1.5% | $121,519 | 3.40 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 410 | 1.4% | $58,971 | 1.50 |
| Information | 179 | 0.6% | $55,375 | 0.28 |
| Management of companies | 141 | 0.5% | $65,962 | 0.25 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 92 | 0.3% | $27,274 | 0.16 |
| Educational services | 87 | 0.3% | $43,488 | 0.12 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 76.1% |
| Public transit | 0.3% |
| Walk | 2.2% |
| Work from home | 2.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 15.4% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,021 |
| Income per person | $32,862 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,112 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.8% |
| Median home value | $191,300 |
| Homeowners | 66.0% |
| Poverty rate | 19.7% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.90%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 32.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 74.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 17.3% |
| Born abroad | 18.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.7 | 42 | 12 |
| Feb | 8.0 | 46 | 14 |
| Mar | 13.2 | 56 | 22 |
| Apr | 17.9 | 64 | 20 |
| May | 22.9 | 73 | 35 |
| Jun | 27.8 | 82 | 37 |
| Jul | 28.4 | 83 | 46 |
| Aug | 28.0 | 82 | 43 |
| Sep | 23.6 | 74 | 58 |
| Oct | 17.7 | 64 | 35 |
| Nov | 10.8 | 51 | 18 |
| Dec | 6.0 | 43 | 13 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Hobbs | NM | 4 mi | 6,034 | $82,554 | $1,319 |
| Lovington | NM | 18 mi | 11,498 | $68,821 | $1,014 |
| Carlsbad | NM | 67 mi | 31,746 | $72,306 | $1,236 |
| West Odessa | TX | 73 mi | 32,594 | $65,234 | $891 |
| Artesia | NM | 74 mi | 12,576 | $74,915 | $1,288 |
| Odessa | TX | 76 mi | 115,322 | $73,472 | $1,315 |
| Midland | TX | 78 mi | 136,640 | $89,585 | $1,434 |
| Roswell | NM | 91 mi | 47,638 | $51,583 | $876 |
| Lubbock | TX | 93 mi | 264,814 | $60,895 | $1,182 |
| Portales | NM | 101 mi | 11,968 | $50,555 | $903 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
40,252 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,112 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.8% of the median household income.
$64,021 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.1% (BLS county, Lea County (latest month 2026M09)).
New Mexico. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.