The Town FilesRoswell, New Mexico
City in Chaves County · population 48,422 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $152,600
- Household income
- $51,583
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 37.1
Roswell is a city of 48,422 people in Chaves County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $152,600, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks more vibrant than 94% of New Mexico towns, more walkable than 93% of New Mexico towns, better for cycling than 87% of New Mexico towns.
How Roswell 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 Roswell is worth $152,600, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $51,583, which is more affordable than 61% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $876 a month. 68.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Roswell | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $152,600 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $876 | $916 |
| Median household income | $51,583 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 68.6% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Roswell
| People | Roswell | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.0% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.6% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 26.0% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.2% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 18.2 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.5% | 82.9% |
Weather in Roswell
July highs average 93.9°F and January lows 22.6°F. About 11.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.8 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 90 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 115 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Roswell since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 12, 1962 about 2.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 5, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 65 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 8, 2004.
Severe weather in Chaves County since 1996
Chaves County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 10, 2025 | Flood | EM-3628: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| November 1, 2024 | Flood | DR-4843: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4529: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3460: Covid-19 |
| October 29, 2013 | Flood | DR-4152: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Chaves County
Chaves County had 21,658 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,769 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Roswell itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Public schools in Roswell
22 public schools with 9,381 students, about 15.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROSWELL HIGH | 9-12 | 1,460 | 18.3 |
| GODDARD HIGH | 9-12 | 1,104 | 16.7 |
| BERRENDO MIDDLE | 6-8 | 598 | 14.6 |
| SIERRA MIDDLE | 6-8 | 593 | 14.1 |
| DEL NORTE ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 515 | 15.6 |
| MOUNTAIN VIEW MIDDLE | 6-8 | 473 | 17.5 |
| MILITARY HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 428 | 14.3 |
| VALLEY VIEW ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 421 | 15.6 |
| MONTERREY ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 406 | 15.6 |
| MESA MIDDLE | 6-8 | 376 | 12.5 |
| EL CAPITAN ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 368 | 15.3 |
| BERRENDO ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 360 | 18.0 |
Roswell questions
Is Roswell, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Roswell scores better for retirees than 21% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 10%. 16.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Roswell?
The median owner-occupied home in Roswell is valued at $152,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,583, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $876 a month.
What is the weather like in Roswell?
July highs average 93.9°F and January lows 22.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.6 inches of precipitation a year and 9.8 inches of snow.
Does Roswell get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Roswell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 12, 1962. 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)