The Town FilesAlamogordo, New Mexico
City in Otero County · population 30,898 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $172,900
- Household income
- $55,952
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 37.1
Alamogordo is a city of 30,898 people in Otero County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $172,900, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks more vibrant than 92% of New Mexico towns, more walkable than 84% of New Mexico towns, better for young professionals than 84% of New Mexico towns.
How Alamogordo ranks
Percentile among New Mexico towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Mexico towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Alamogordo is worth $172,900, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $55,952, which is more affordable than 58% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $902 a month. 61.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alamogordo | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $172,900 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $902 | $916 |
| Median household income | $55,952 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 61.6% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Alamogordo
| People | Alamogordo | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.1% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.5% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.6% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 19.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.9% | — |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 17.9 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.2% | 82.9% |
Weather in Alamogordo
July highs average 92.6°F and January lows 33.2°F. About 10.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.4 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 89 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 55 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alamogordo since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 27, 1982 about 1.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 13, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 17, 1959.
Severe weather in Otero County since 1996
Otero County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 22, 2025 | Flood | DR-4886: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| July 10, 2025 | Flood | EM-3628: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| June 20, 2024 | Fire | DR-4795: South Fork Fire, Salt Fire, And Flooding |
| June 18, 2024 | Fire | FM-5498: Salt Fire |
| June 17, 2024 | Fire | FM-5497: South Fork Fire |
Jobs and pay in Otero County
Otero County had 17,528 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,017 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Alamogordo itself the ACS puts it at 7.5%.
Public schools in Alamogordo
12 public schools with 4,564 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALAMOGORDO HIGH | 9-12 | 1,527 | 17.2 |
| CHAPARRAL MIDDLE | 6-8 | 565 | 15.3 |
| MOUNTAIN VIEW MIDDLE | 6-8 | 482 | 14.6 |
| DESERT STAR ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 463 | 16.5 |
| SUNSET HILLS ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 448 | 15.4 |
| SIERRA ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 293 | 16.3 |
| BUENA VISTA ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 234 | 16.7 |
| YUCCA ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 219 | 16.8 |
| NORTH ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 170 | 10.6 |
| STEPPING STONES PRESCHOOL | PK-PK | 118 | 13.1 |
| NM SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED | PK-12 | 45 | 3.5 |
| ACADEMY DEL SOL ALT. | 10-12 | — | — |
Towns near Alamogordo
- Holloman AFB, NM8.1 mi · 3,810 people · home —
- Tularosa, NM13.6 mi · 2,553 people · home $150,600
Alamogordo questions
Is Alamogordo, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alamogordo scores better for retirees than 43% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 13%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Alamogordo?
The median owner-occupied home in Alamogordo is valued at $172,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,952, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $902 a month.
What is the weather like in Alamogordo?
July highs average 92.6°F and January lows 33.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.6 inches of precipitation a year and 2.4 inches of snow.
Does Alamogordo get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alamogordo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 27, 1982. The typical New Mexico town has had 3.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)