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Big small town

Living in Portales, NM

Portales is a big small town of 11,968 people in Roosevelt County, New Mexico. It's about 94 miles from Lubbock, TX and 343 miles from Oklahoma City, OK, the nearest major city. Summer highs average 93°F and winter highs 55°F, with about 8 inches of snow a year. The typical home is valued around $133k and rent runs about $903 a month.

11,968people
$133kTypical home
$903/moRent
93° / 55°Summer / winter
8"Snow
308Sunny days
63Rain/snow days

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Size & setting

  • Big small town of 11,968
  • Its own small hub, not a suburb
  • About 1,491 people per sq mi
  • 343 mi to Oklahoma City, OK
  • 94 mi to Lubbock, TX
  • Has its own stores and services

Money

  • Typical home $133k (≈$841/mo)
  • Median rent $903/mo
  • Median household income $51k
  • Property tax about 0.5% of value
  • 7.0% unemployment

Weather

  • Summer highs around 93°F
  • Winter highs around 55°F
  • Comfortable summers (dew point 54°F)
  • 308 sunny days a year (156 totally clear)
  • 57 cloudy days a year
  • 19 of 90 winter days are gray
  • 63 days a year with rain or snow
  • 8" of snow a year
  • 3 days a year with 1"+ of snow
  • 11 days a year over 100°F
  • 3 nights a year below 10°F
  • Windier than most places

People

  • Median age 27
  • 36% of households have kids
  • 12% are 65 or older
  • 25% have a college degree
  • Very diverse community
  • 15% of residents are college students

Getting around & homes

  • Average commute 14 min
  • 5% walk or take transit to work
  • 23 mi to CVN airport
  • 194 mi to ABQ (major hub)
  • 144 mi to the nearest Amtrak station
  • 71% single-family homes
  • Typical home built around 1976
  • 88% of homes have broadband

Outdoors

  • Flat, open land
  • Elevation 4,016 ft
  • 545 mi to the ocean
  • 81 mi to a big lake
  • 80 mi to the nearest trailhead
  • 145 mi to the nearest ski area
  • 5 mi to the nearest campground
  • 4 golf courses within 25 mi

Things to do

  • 46 sit-down restaurants within 25 mi
  • Few or no bars within 25 mi
  • 14 coffee shops within 25 mi
  • 1 music venue or club within 25 mi
  • 4 museums within 25 mi
  • No breweries & distilleries within 25 mi
  • 82 mi to the nearest farmers market

Everyday

  • Schools in the top 43% of New Mexico districts (reading)
  • Grocery store in town
  • 4 mi to the nearest ER hospital
  • 92 mi to a 4–5★ hospital
  • 20 mi to the nearest vet
  • Dog park in town
  • 11 congregations per 10k people
  • College in town

Politics

  • Roosevelt County: R+43 in 2024
  • New Mexico: D+6 in 2024

Natural hazards

  • Very low hurricane risk
  • Moderate tornado risk
  • High wildfire risk
  • Very low earthquake risk
  • Very low flood risk
  • High drought risk
  • Low winter storm risk
  • Very low heat wave risk
  • Very low volcano risk

Places near Portales

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