2010

Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:

• 75.0% White
  White American
  White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
  
  
• 4.1% Black
  African American
  African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
  
  
• 1.2% Native American
  Native Americans in the United States
  Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
  
  
• 0.5% Asian
  Asian American
  Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
  
  
• 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
  Pacific Islander American
  Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
  
  
• 2.6% Two or more races
  Multiracial American
  Multiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
  
  
• 16.5% Other races
  Race (United States Census)
  Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
  
  
• 51.1% Hispanic or Latino
  Hispanic and Latino Americans
  Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
  
   (of any race)

2000

As of the census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 55,511 people, 19,699 households, and 14,715 families residing in the county. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 13 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 23,405 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 67.13% White

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 4.37% Black

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or African American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.99% Native American

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.39% Asian

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.04% Pacific Islander

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 23.81% from other races

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 3.27% from two or more races. 39.65% of the population were Hispanic

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or Latino

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 of any race.

There were 19,699 households out of which 39.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.80% were married couples

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 12.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.30% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the county the population was spread out with 30.10% under the age of 18, 10.10% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 20.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 100.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,799, and the median income for a family was $34,665. Males had a median income of $32,005 versus $20,922 for females. The per capita income

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the county was $14,184. About 17.30% of families and 21.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.00% of those under age 18 and 14.90% of those age 65 or over.

Presidential voting

In the 2004 Presidential election, Lea County was the top New Mexico county, as far as percentage, for Republican George W. Bush. He beat John Kerry 79%-20%. In 2008, the Republican candidate John McCain beat Democratic candidate Barack Obama by a wide but slightly smaller margin, 72% to 27%.

Notables

Lea County had produced several National Rodeo Champions, perhaps starting with Jake McClure starting back in 1930. Later, Troy Fort. More recent Champions are from the Cooper family, Jimmie and Roy. This family is from Monument, southwest of Hobbs. All of these men have been National Champions.

Several golfers have made it to the PGA and most famous Kathy Whitworth, an LPGA Hall of Famer. The men Golfers include Ronnie Black, Sean Murphy and Chris Blocker. Ronnie and Sean were from Lovington, Chris from Hobbs and Kathy from Jal.

Currently, in the sports world, Lea County is represented by Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears.

Cities

• Eunice
  Eunice, New Mexico
  Eunice is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 2,562 at the 2000 census. The mayor of Eunice, as of April 2007, is Matt White. Ground was broken for construction of a National Enrichment Facility, which uses Zippe-type centrifuge technology, to enrich uranium in...
  
  
• Hobbs
  Hobbs, New Mexico
  Hobbs is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 28,657 at the 2000 census.Hobbs is the principal city of the Hobbs, New Mexico Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Lea County.-Geography:...
  
  
• Jal
  Jal, New Mexico
  Jal is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,996 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Jal is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land....
  
  
• Lovington
  Lovington, New Mexico
  Lovington is a city in and the county seat of Lea County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 9,471 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lovington is located at ....
  
  

Other localities

• Caprock
  Caprock, New Mexico
  Caprock is an unincorporated town in Lea County, New Mexico, United States.-References:...
  
  
• Maljamar
  Maljamar, New Mexico
  Maljamar is an unincorporated town in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. The zip code is 88264. It is close to Hobbs and Carlsbad.According to legend, Maljamar's founder William Mitchell named the town after his three children Malcom, Janet and Margaret...
  
  
• Monument

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Lea County, New Mexico