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Ruidoso, NM

Village in Lincoln County, New Mexico. ZIP codes: 88345, 88355.

Population

7,699

Land area

16.1sq mi

People per sq mi

477

ZIP codes

2

Ruidoso and its ZIP codes

Full map

Ruidoso at a glance

  • Ruidoso is about 27 times as dense as New Mexico as a whole.
  • By population, it ranks 30th among 495 cities and towns in New Mexico.
  • The median household income is $52,736, 18% below the New Mexico median of $64,059.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $243,800 and median rent is $944 a month.

Local data for Ruidoso, NM

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Ruidoso, NM, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$52,736

Poverty rate

20.6%

Median home value

$243,800

Median rent

$944/mo

Homeownership

68.4%

Bachelor's or higher

35.4%

Median age

44.8

Average commute

14.2 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: Mexican Americans (1,809), Irish Americans (1,273), German Americans (1,241).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Lincoln County. PPP loans are for Ruidoso.

Details

Unemployment rate

4.6%

Aug 2026, +0.3 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$45,881

6,713 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$57,253

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$359M

FY 2026, $17,700 per person

PPP loans

$18.1M

387 loans, 3,279 jobs reported

Lincoln County economyFederal spendingPPP loans

How people get to work

Ruidoso, NM, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone75.8%
  • Carpooled6.6%
  • Public transit0.3%
  • Walked1.3%
  • Bicycle0.7%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other2.5%
  • Worked from home12.9%

Average one-way commute: 14.2 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Ruidoso, NM, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Low

Top: wildfire

Storm events since 1996

709

Countywide, mostly high wind

Flood insurance policies

267

2.1% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

85° / 24°F

16.6 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone2 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Ruidoso, NM, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

30.7%

U.S. 33.3% -2.6 pts

Diabetes

14.2%

U.S. 12.1% +2.1 pts

Smoking

13.5%

U.S. 12.8% +0.7 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

11.9%

U.S. 11.1% +0.8 pts

ZIP codes in Ruidoso

2 in or overlapping Ruidoso. Population shown

·

Cities near Ruidoso

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
CapitanVillage6.5 mi3.3
Ruidoso DownsCity9.3 mi3.8
NogalCensus-designated place11 mi7.6
CarrizozoTown21 mi8.4
MescaleroCensus-designated place26 mi17.9
BentCensus-designated place28 mi6.1

Frequently asked questions

What county is Ruidoso, NM in?
Ruidoso is in Lincoln County, New Mexico.
What ZIP codes are in Ruidoso, NM?
ZIP codes in or overlapping Ruidoso include 88345, 88355.
What is the population of Ruidoso, NM?
About 7,699 people live in Ruidoso, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Ruidoso?
Nearby places include Capitan (6.5 mi), Ruidoso Downs (9.3 mi), Nogal (11 mi), Carrizozo (21 mi), Mescalero (26 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023