Jobs, pay and daily life in Portales, 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.
Portales is a city in New Mexico with 11,968 residents. The median household earns $50,555 a year and the median rent is $903 a month, which is 21.4% 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 Portales compares. Among the 40 largest places in New Mexico, Portales is #20 by population, #40 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #2 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #33 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Roosevelt County, is #25 of 33 counties for average pay ($45,232).
Portales has 11,968 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.6% of the population of New Mexico. It covers 8 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,491 people per square mile. The median age is 27.1, 31% younger than the state median (27.1 against 39.4).
The median gross rent is $903 a month (rent plus utilities), 15% below the state median ($903 against $1,067). Over a year that is 21.4% 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 $133,400, which is 2.6 times the median household income ($50,555); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 47.5% of households own their home, 32% below the state average (47.5% against 70.0%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Roosevelt County was 4.2%. 61.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Roosevelt County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 81.5% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 5.4% walk, 3.7% work from home. 2.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 83% below the state average (2.2% against 12.8%).
25.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 18% below the state share (25.4% against 31.0%). 8.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 15% below the state share (8.1% against 9.4%). The poverty rate is 28.1%, 57% above the state rate (28.1% against 17.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 81°F (27.3°C), and the coolest is Jan at 39°F (3.8°C). About 420 mm (17 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (65 mm) and Feb 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: Clovis (20 miles, rent 9% higher); Lovington (85 miles, rent 12% higher); Roswell (87 miles, similar rent); Lubbock (94 miles, rent 31% higher). Rent differences are against Portales; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in New Mexico (864) →State guide: New MexicoCountry guideRoosevelt 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 | 34.7% |
| Retail trade | 14.1% |
| Public administration | 9.1% |
| Other services | 8.1% |
| Manufacturing | 6.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.9% |
| Construction | 4.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 3.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.0% |
| Information | 1.7% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Portales 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roosevelt County | 18,928 | $949 million | $50,149 | 5,935 | 480 | $45,232 | -1.2% | 4.2% | 8,076 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 663 | 24.5% | $33,961 | 1.12 |
| Accommodation and food services | 658 | 24.3% | $18,904 | 1.22 |
| Manufacturing | 429 | 15.9% | $49,809 | 0.88 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 251 | 9.3% | $57,461 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 181 | 6.7% | $35,452 | 0.58 |
| Finance and insurance | 115 | 4.3% | $52,890 | 0.48 |
| Utilities | 86 | 3.2% | $84,124 | 3.81 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 78 | 2.9% | $34,348 | 0.44 |
| Wholesale trade | 59 | 2.2% | $39,522 | 0.25 |
| Professional and technical services | 57 | 2.1% | $46,366 | 0.14 |
| Real estate and rental | 52 | 1.9% | $37,175 | 0.56 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 42 | 1.6% | $19,009 | 0.42 |
| Information | 32 | 1.2% | $62,412 | 0.29 |
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 | 81.5% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 3.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 2.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,555 |
| Income per person | $21,996 |
| Median gross rent per month | $903 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 21.4% |
| Median home value | $133,400 |
| Homeowners | 47.5% |
| Poverty rate | 28.1% |
| 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 | 27.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 86.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 25.4% |
| Born abroad | 8.1% |
| 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 | 3.8 | 39 | 13 |
| Feb | 5.9 | 43 | 12 |
| Mar | 11.0 | 52 | 24 |
| Apr | 15.8 | 60 | 20 |
| May | 20.8 | 69 | 46 |
| Jun | 26.2 | 79 | 52 |
| Jul | 27.3 | 81 | 59 |
| Aug | 26.4 | 80 | 65 |
| Sep | 22.0 | 72 | 59 |
| Oct | 15.4 | 60 | 42 |
| Nov | 8.8 | 48 | 15 |
| Dec | 4.0 | 39 | 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clovis | NM | 20 mi | 37,942 | $54,820 | $988 |
| Lovington | NM | 85 mi | 11,498 | $68,821 | $1,014 |
| Roswell | NM | 87 mi | 47,638 | $51,583 | $876 |
| Lubbock | TX | 94 mi | 264,814 | $60,895 | $1,182 |
| North Hobbs | NM | 98 mi | 6,034 | $82,554 | $1,319 |
| Hobbs | NM | 101 mi | 40,252 | $64,021 | $1,112 |
| Artesia | NM | 110 mi | 12,576 | $74,915 | $1,288 |
| Amarillo | TX | 112 mi | 201,885 | $65,912 | $1,092 |
| Carlsbad | NM | 133 mi | 31,746 | $72,306 | $1,236 |
| Las Vegas | NM | 144 mi | 13,000 | $45,125 | $792 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
11,968 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$903 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 21.4% of the median household income.
$50,555 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.2% (BLS county, Roosevelt County (latest month 2026M09)).
New Mexico. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.