Economic Information
for the Ruidoso Area

The following statistics reflect the vibrant economy which Ruidoso enjoys.

Demographics:

During the height of the tourist season the population of Ruidoso routinely swells to 25,000 and during special event weekends may reach nearly 40,000. In terms of permanent, full-time residents, 7698 people lived in Ruidoso in 2000, and according to 2004 census projections, Ruidoso’s population has grown to 8691. Female residents slightly outnumbered male residents with 52.5% or 4045 females to 47.5% or 3653 males in 2000 with the median age for Ruidoso residents of 46.2. There were a total of 3434 households in 2000 with an average household size of 2.2 and the average family size of 2.72.

Ruidoso 2000 Demographic Profile

The population of Lincoln County was 20,727 as of 2004, ranking 19th among New Mexico counties.

Population Estimates

Real Estate and Housing:

The real estate market in Lincoln County is extremely active with nearly 700 closed listings in 2004 with a total value of over $124M. This represents an 11% increase in closed listings in just two years, as the 2002 total was 609. The growth in real estate values during the same period is over 14%.

Housing statistics also indicate that Ruidoso and Lincoln County is growing, with building permits averaging 145 per year. As of 2000, there were a total of 7574 units in Ruidoso with the median home value of $113, 900. The median rent per unit in 2000 was $492 while the rental unit vacancy rate was 19.6%. The home owner vacancy rate for the same year was 4.6%.

Income:

Ruidoso’s median income as of 1999 was $37,107 while the median family income was $44,876 and the per capita income was $22,721.

The following link provides detailed personal income information for all of Lincoln County:

To view statistics for other communities within Lincoln County, please follow the links below.

Ruidoso Downs 2000 Demographic Profile
Capitan 2000 Demographic Profile
Carrizozo 2000 Demographic Profile
Corona 2000 Demographic Profile
Lincoln County 2000 Demographic Profile
Mescalero 2000 Demographics

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