RANK #691 / 1001 NAT · #9 / 11 NM · POP 224,266
1YR FORECAST: -0.8%
5YR OUTLOOK: +16%
Doña Ana County, New Mexico, is characterized by its desert landscape framed by the Organ Mountains, a prominent landmark that defines the eastern skyline. Located in southern New Mexico, bordering El Paso County, Texas, and Chihuahua, Mexico, the county seat of Las Cruces is the state's second-most populous municipality. Commutes within the county and to El Paso are facilitated by various public transportation options, including Roadrunner Transit and the NMDOT Park and Ride. The region offers extensive outdoor recreation, with trails for hiking, biking, and wildlife observation in areas like Dripping Springs Natural Area, Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, and Prehistoric Trackways National Monument.
Life in Doña Ana County blends a strong agricultural tradition, particularly known for chile and pecan production, with increasing urbanization. The area attracts a mix of families, students attending New Mexico State University, and retirees, drawn by the quality of life and natural amenities. The economy is experiencing growth in service-related industries, with recent significant investments in data centers and energy infrastructure. These developments aim to create new jobs and contribute to the region's economic landscape.
Doña Ana County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices -0.5% YoY, population +1.2%, wages +4.5%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Below national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 11.6x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. Climate and geography support a structural premium. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Homicide rates from CDC/NCHS vital-statistics mortality data — a multi-year average that stabilizes counts in smaller counties — compiled in the County Health Rankings 2025 release. Rates per 100,000 population; U.S. average ≈ 6.5. Grade reflects homicide rate relative to the national average. Learn more →
See where Doña Ana County stands nationally: safest large counties in America · highest homicide-rate counties.
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Project Jupiter Data Center Campus
STACK Infrastructure, BorderPlex Digital Assets, Oracle, OpenAI
|
$165,000M | Under Construction |
|
Milagro Solar + Storage Project
EDF Renewables, El Paso Electric (EPE)
|
$150M | Operating |
|
Santa Teresa Solar & Storage Facility
DESRI, El Paso Electric (EPE)
|
$150M | Under Construction |
|
Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements (Project Jupiter commitment)
STACK Infrastructure, BorderPlex Digital Assets
|
$50M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
At 30/100, Doña Ana County faces headwinds that place it in the lower third of the 1001 counties we track. Median income of $56,848 combined with job growth of +3.1% suggests the local economy is struggling to keep pace with national trends.
Housing in Doña Ana County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $220,800 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.26, with rents averaging $934/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Doña Ana County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +1.2% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +3.1% clip. Home values shifted -0.5% in the past year.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 2.26% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Doña Ana County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.