The Town FilesSilver City, New Mexico
Town in Grant County · population 9,704 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $182,100
- Household income
- $38,711
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 40.8
Silver City is a town of 9,704 people in Grant County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $182,100, close to the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks hipper than 96% of New Mexico towns, more of a college town than 95% of New Mexico towns, more walkable than 91% of New Mexico towns.
How Silver City 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 Silver City is worth $182,100, close to the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 4.7 times the median household income of $38,711, which is more affordable than 17% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $866 a month. 60.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Silver City | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $182,100 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $866 | $916 |
| Median household income | $38,711 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.7× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 60.5% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.7% | — |
Who lives in Silver City
| People | Silver City | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.8 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.9% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.8% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.7% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.6% | — |
| Work from home | 13.2% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 14.7 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.0% | 82.9% |
Weather in Silver City
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 31.6°F. About 16.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.5 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 33 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 93 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Silver City since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 19, 1979 about 0.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 19, 1979.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 27, 1971.
Severe weather in Grant County since 1996
Grant County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 16, 2025 | Fire | FM-5588: Trout Fire |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4529: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3460: Covid-19 |
| May 26, 2012 | Fire | FM-2978: Whitewater-Baldy Fire Complex |
| March 8, 2011 | Fire | FM-2866: Quail Ridge Fire |
Jobs and pay in Grant County
Grant County had 9,440 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,413 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Silver City itself the ACS puts it at 13.1%.
Public schools in Silver City
8 public schools with 2,161 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SILVER HIGH | 9-12 | 645 | 17.9 |
| HARRISON SCHMITT ELEMENTARY | 1-6 | 333 | 13.9 |
| G.W.STOUT ELEMENTARY | 1-6 | 314 | 13.1 |
| LA PLATA MIDDLE | 7-8 | 288 | 12.5 |
| JOSE BARRIOS ELEMENTARY | 1-6 | 212 | 14.1 |
| ALDO LEOPOLD CHARTER (charter) | 6-12 | 196 | 11.5 |
| SIXTH STREET ELEMENTARY | K-K | 135 | 13.5 |
| SILVER SCHOLARS ACADEMY | PK-PK | 38 | 12.7 |
Silver City questions
Is Silver City, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Silver City scores better for retirees than 74% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 11%. 25.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.8).
How much does a house cost in Silver City?
The median owner-occupied home in Silver City is valued at $182,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $38,711, so homes cost about 4.7 times income. Median rent is $866 a month.
What is the weather like in Silver City?
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 31.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.2 inches of precipitation a year and 4.5 inches of snow.
Does Silver City get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Silver City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 19, 1979. 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)