The Town FilesVado, New Mexico
Community in Doña Ana County · population 2,930 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $104,400
- Household income
- $37,411
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 28.1
Vado is a community of 2,930 people in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $104,400, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks easier by car than 92% of New Mexico towns, more walkable than 91% of New Mexico towns, more of a college town than 88% of New Mexico towns.
How Vado 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 Vado is worth $104,400, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $37,411, which is more affordable than 67% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $756 a month. 69.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Vado | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $104,400 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $756 | $916 |
| Median household income | $37,411 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 69.3% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Vado
| People | Vado | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.1 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.3% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 32.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 3.7% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.7% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 1.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 32.5% | — |
| Work from home | 2.3% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.0% | 82.9% |
Weather in Vado
July highs average 94.3°F and January lows 34.0°F. About 9.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.7 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 114 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 53 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vado since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 31, 1979 about 9.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 22, 1988.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on October 3, 2015.
Severe weather in Doña Ana County since 1996
Doña Ana County has been included in 10 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 |
| 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 |
| August 30, 2006 | Severe Storm | DR-1659: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Doña Ana County
Doña Ana County had 79,409 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,974 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Vado itself the ACS puts it at 8.2%.
Public schools in Vado
1 public school with 416 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| VADO ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 416 | 13.9 |
Towns near Vado
- Anthony, NM8.6 mi · 8,693 people · home $116,000
- Anthony, TX10.3 mi · 3,671 people · home $168,200
- University Park, NM11.5 mi · 3,007 people · home —
- Vinton, TX12.2 mi · 2,684 people · home $109,100
- Westway, TX12.5 mi · 3,811 people · home $106,000
- Canutillo, TX14.8 mi · 6,212 people · home $106,600
- Las Cruces, NM15.8 mi · 111,385 people · home $231,700
- Chaparral, NM15.8 mi · 16,551 people · home $109,300
Vado questions
Is Vado, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Vado scores better for retirees than 4% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 9%. 10.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.1).
How much does a house cost in Vado?
The median owner-occupied home in Vado is valued at $104,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $37,411, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $756 a month.
What is the weather like in Vado?
July highs average 94.3°F and January lows 34.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.7 inches of snow.
Does Vado get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vado since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 31, 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)