Jobs, pay and daily life in Raton, 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.
Raton is a city in New Mexico with 6,026 residents. The median household earns $52,641 a year and the median rent is $741 a month, which is 16.9% 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 Raton compares. Among the 40 largest places in New Mexico, Raton is #39 by population, #37 for remote work (#1 = most), #7 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #16 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Colfax County, is #28 of 33 counties for average pay ($44,087).
Raton has 6,026 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of New Mexico. It covers 8 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 757 people per square mile. The median age is 44.8, 14% older than the state median (44.8 against 39.4).
The median gross rent is $741 a month (rent plus utilities), 31% below the state median ($741 against $1,067). Over a year that is 16.9% 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 $134,300, which is 2.6 times the median household income ($52,641); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 67.3% of households own their home, 4% below the state average (67.3% against 70.0%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Colfax County was 5.0%. 49.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Colfax County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 73.8% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.5% walk, 2.7% work from home. 10.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 16% below the state average (10.7% against 12.8%).
21.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 31% below the state share (21.3% against 31.0%). 3.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 68% below the state share (3.0% against 9.4%). The poverty rate is 25.1%, 40% above the state rate (25.1% against 17.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.7°C), and the coolest is Dec at 31°F (-0.5°C). About 419 mm (16 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (76 mm) and Nov the driest (16 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: Taos (72 miles, rent 19% higher); Alamosa (89 miles, rent 13% higher); Pueblo (96 miles, rent 46% higher); Las Vegas (98 miles, rent 7% higher). Rent differences are against Raton; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in New Mexico (864) →State guide: New MexicoCountry guideColfax 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 | 24.7% |
| Retail trade | 16.1% |
| Other services | 13.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.8% |
| Construction | 5.0% |
| Public administration | 5.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.0% |
| Manufacturing | 3.8% |
| Information | 2.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Raton 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colfax County | 12,322 | $623 million | $50,599 | 4,287 | 550 | $44,087 | -1.4% | 5.0% | 4,656 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 1,330 | 50.8% | $30,725 | 3.41 |
| Retail trade | 528 | 20.2% | $34,137 | 1.23 |
| Manufacturing | 135 | 5.2% | $48,939 | 0.38 |
| Construction | 131 | 5.0% | $42,564 | 0.58 |
| Professional and technical services | 94 | 3.6% | $58,249 | 0.32 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 93 | 3.6% | $37,990 | 0.72 |
| Finance and insurance | 69 | 2.6% | $50,929 | 0.40 |
| Wholesale trade | 67 | 2.6% | $50,347 | 0.40 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 65 | 2.5% | $47,082 | 0.36 |
| Real estate and rental | 49 | 1.9% | $51,920 | 0.74 |
| Utilities | 33 | 1.3% | $79,260 | 2.02 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 13 | 0.5% | $14,573 | 0.18 |
| Information | 11 | 0.4% | $36,159 | 0.14 |
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 | 73.8% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.5% |
| Work from home | 2.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 10.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,641 |
| Income per person | $29,254 |
| Median gross rent per month | $741 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 16.9% |
| Median home value | $134,300 |
| Homeowners | 67.3% |
| Poverty rate | 25.1% |
| 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 | 44.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 21.3% |
| Born abroad | 3.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 49.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -0.3 | 31 | 17 |
| Feb | 0.6 | 33 | 18 |
| Mar | 5.1 | 41 | 27 |
| Apr | 9.1 | 48 | 35 |
| May | 14.5 | 58 | 40 |
| Jun | 20.8 | 69 | 38 |
| Jul | 22.7 | 73 | 76 |
| Aug | 21.2 | 70 | 62 |
| Sep | 17.2 | 63 | 42 |
| Oct | 10.3 | 51 | 28 |
| Nov | 4.2 | 40 | 16 |
| Dec | -0.5 | 31 | 20 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taos | NM | 72 mi | 6,458 | $47,304 | $883 |
| Alamosa | CO | 89 mi | 9,879 | $49,688 | $837 |
| Pueblo | CO | 96 mi | 111,561 | $56,664 | $1,082 |
| Las Vegas | NM | 98 mi | 13,000 | $45,125 | $792 |
| Pueblo West | CO | 101 mi | 35,681 | $96,810 | $1,345 |
| Española | NM | 109 mi | 10,473 | $47,667 | $829 |
| Cañon City | CO | 116 mi | 17,122 | $64,787 | $997 |
| Santa Fe | NM | 120 mi | 89,019 | $73,482 | $1,463 |
| Los Alamos | NM | 124 mi | 13,317 | $141,018 | $1,359 |
| Fountain | CO | 125 mi | 29,300 | $86,242 | $1,745 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
6,026 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$741 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 16.9% of the median household income.
$52,641 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
5.0% (BLS county, Colfax County (latest month 2026M09)).
New Mexico. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.