Grant County

Grant County is located in southwestern New Mexico along the Arizona border, extending from the Gila Wilderness and Mogollon Mountains south toward the Chihuahuan Desert basinlands near the Mexican border region. Established in 1868 and named for Ulysses S. Grant, the county developed around mining and ranching and remains closely tied to the broader “Bootheel” and Gila country of the Southwest. It is a sparsely populated, predominantly rural county with a population of about 28,000, anchored by the Silver City area. The county seat is Silver City, which serves as the primary commercial and government center. Grant County’s landscape includes high-elevation forests, rugged canyons, and desert grasslands, with large portions of public land and protected areas. The local economy has historically emphasized copper and other mineral extraction, government and education employment, health services, and outdoor recreation-related activity, alongside ranching in outlying communities.

Grant County is located in southwestern New Mexico along the Arizona border, with Silver City as a principal population center and a regional hub. County-level demographics are reported through federal statistical programs and are used in local planning and service delivery.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Grant County, New Mexico, Grant County had a population of 29,115 (2020) and 29,593 (2023 estimate).

Age & Gender

Age and sex composition are reported by the U.S. Census Bureau’s county profiles. The QuickFacts profile for Grant County provides the following age distribution (latest available in that profile):

• Under 5 years: 4.4%
• Under 18 years: 18.6%
• 65 years and over: 25.8%

Gender ratio (sex composition) is also provided in the same Census Bureau profile via the share of the population that is female:

• Female persons: 50.8%

Racial & Ethnic Composition

County-level race and Hispanic/Latino ethnicity are reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. In the Grant County QuickFacts profile (latest available in that profile), the composition is:

Race (one race)

• White: 72.6%
• Black or African American: 0.8%
• American Indian and Alaska Native: 10.7%
• Asian: 0.9%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.1%
• Two or more races: 4.2%

Ethnicity

• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 47.9%

Household & Housing Data

Household and housing indicators are reported by the U.S. Census Bureau through the American Community Survey and summarized for counties on QuickFacts. From the Grant County QuickFacts profile (latest available in that profile):

• Households: 12,090
• Persons per household: 2.29
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: 69.4%
• Median value of owner-occupied housing units: $171,600
• Median selected monthly owner costs (with a mortgage): $1,351
• Median selected monthly owner costs (without a mortgage): $410
• Median gross rent: $804

For local government and planning resources, visit the Grant County, New Mexico official website.

Grant County, in rural southwest New Mexico, has low population density and large distances between communities, which can constrain broadband buildout and make digital communication (including email) more dependent on local network availability.

Direct county-level email usage rates are generally not published; email adoption is commonly inferred from access proxies such as internet subscriptions, device availability, and age structure. In U.S. Census Bureau data (ACS), key indicators for Grant County include household broadband internet subscription and computer access, which track the practical capacity to use web-based email reliably. Age distribution also influences email adoption: older populations tend to have lower rates of home broadband uptake and digital service use, while working-age residents show higher reliance on online communication; Grant County’s age profile from ACS tables provides this context. Gender distribution is typically not a primary driver of email access compared with age, income, and connectivity, but ACS sex-by-age tables can support subgroup comparisons.

Connectivity limitations are reflected in rural last-mile economics and terrain; county and state broadband planning materials, including New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion resources, document infrastructure gaps and unserved/underserved areas relevant to consistent email access.

Grant County is in southwestern New Mexico and includes Silver City (the county seat) and a large amount of mountainous and high-desert terrain within and around the Gila region. Settlement is dispersed outside Silver City, and the county’s low population density and rugged topography are key constraints on radio propagation and on the economics of extending dense cellular infrastructure, especially for higher-frequency 5G deployments.

Data limitations and how metrics are distinguished

County-specific statistics that directly measure “mobile penetration” (such as the share of residents owning a mobile phone) are not commonly published as a single county metric in federal datasets. The most consistent county-level indicators available nationally relate to:

• Household adoption of internet service types (including “cellular data plan” as an internet subscription type).
• Network availability/coverage reported by carriers and published by the FCC (availability does not equal adoption or performance).

This overview separates network availability (where service is advertised/available) from household adoption (what residents actually subscribe to and use).

County context affecting mobile connectivity (terrain, settlement pattern, and land use)

• Terrain: The county’s mountainous areas, canyons, and forested terrain can create shadowing and reduce line-of-sight coverage, increasing the need for additional towers, backhaul, or strategically sited infrastructure.
• Settlement pattern: Service is typically stronger in and near Silver City and along primary road corridors than in remote, sparsely populated areas.
• Public lands and remote areas: A substantial share of the region consists of public lands and remote communities, which can raise deployment costs and complicate siting and backhaul relative to compact urban counties.

Network availability (4G/5G coverage) in Grant County

Primary sources for availability

• The FCC’s carrier-reported mobile broadband coverage layers are the main standardized source for advertised LTE/5G availability. The most direct public entry point is the FCC’s broadband mapping program and National Broadband Map. See the FCC National Broadband Map and background on methodology via the FCC Broadband Data Collection.

4G LTE

• LTE is generally the baseline mobile broadband technology with the broadest geographic footprint in rural New Mexico counties. In Grant County, LTE availability is typically more extensive than 5G, but coverage quality varies by terrain and distance from towers.
• LTE coverage is better understood as availability by location (served/unserved) rather than a guarantee of consistent on-the-ground signal quality, indoor reception, or throughput.

5G (availability and practical constraints)

• 5G availability in rural counties often concentrates around population centers and major transport corridors, with less extensive coverage in rugged backcountry. In Grant County, the FCC map provides the authoritative location-by-location view of carrier-reported 5G availability.
• 5G performance and reach vary substantially by spectrum band; higher-frequency 5G generally requires denser infrastructure and is more limited in mountainous or sparsely populated areas. County-level public datasets generally do not provide granular, standardized breakdowns of 5G band types by county.

Network availability vs. experienced service

• FCC availability layers represent provider-reported service availability; they do not measure typical speeds, latency, or reliability at the user level.
• Independent speed-test aggregations exist, but they are not standardized federal statistics and can be biased by where tests occur (often clustered in towns and along highways).

Household adoption and “mobile-only” access indicators (actual use/subscription)

Key county-level adoption indicator: household internet subscriptions by type

• The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) publishes county-level tables on household internet subscription types, including the share of households with a cellular data plan and the share with no internet subscription. This provides a practical proxy for “mobile internet access” at the household level and helps identify mobile-only reliance when compared to wired broadband subscription rates.
• County-level ACS estimates can be accessed via data.census.gov (search for Grant County, NM and ACS “Internet Subscription” tables).

Interpreting ACS adoption data

• Cellular data plan subscription (ACS) reflects household adoption of mobile internet service as an internet subscription type. It does not measure signal coverage, nor does it confirm that the household uses mobile as its primary connection.
• Households may report multiple subscription types (for example, cable or fiber plus a cellular data plan), so “cellular plan” is not synonymous with “mobile-only.”
• ACS is a survey with margins of error; county estimates in smaller populations can have wider uncertainty.

“No subscription” and affordability

• ACS measures households with no internet subscription, a useful adoption metric that can reflect affordability constraints, limited availability of wired options, digital literacy barriers, or preference, but it cannot attribute causality at the county level without additional local studies.

Mobile internet usage patterns (how 4G/5G availability translates into typical use)

Rural usage characteristics commonly observed in county-level adoption frameworks

• In rural counties with patchy wired broadband availability, cellular data plans often serve as a complement to fixed service or as a primary option in areas where fixed service is limited. Whether this holds for particular parts of Grant County is best assessed by comparing:
  • FCC location-level fixed broadband availability (for wired and fixed wireless), and
  • ACS household internet subscription types.
• The most defensible county-level approach is to use:
  • FCC maps for availability by location, and
  • ACS for adoption/subscription patterns by households.

4G vs. 5G usage

• Public county-level datasets rarely report the share of residents actively using 4G vs. 5G. Device capability and plan type influence this, and the most standardized public indicators are availability (FCC) and device ownership proxies (see below).

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

County-level device ownership indicators

• The ACS includes measures of computing device availability in households (such as smartphone, computer, tablet), which can be used to characterize device types at the county level. These tables are accessible through data.census.gov by searching for Grant County, NM and “computer and internet use.”
• Interpreting these device measures:
  • Smartphone availability in the household serves as a proxy for potential mobile internet use.
  • Desktop/laptop ownership can indicate reliance on fixed broadband for work, education, and services, but does not exclude mobile use.

Limitations

• ACS device metrics are household-based and do not indicate:
  • which household members own devices,
  • whether a smartphone is the primary internet device, or
  • what network technology (LTE vs. 5G) the device actively uses.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage in Grant County

Population distribution and rurality

• Dispersed settlement patterns tend to produce fewer towers per square mile and fewer opportunities for dense small-cell deployments, affecting both the reach of 5G and the consistency of LTE in remote valleys and mountainous areas.
• The strongest alignment between geography and adoption is typically observed in the contrast between town centers (more options and stronger signals) and remote areas (more reliance on a limited set of providers and potentially higher costs per delivered Mbps).

Income, age, and education (measured through ACS)

• County-level demographics associated with internet adoption differences—income, age distribution, educational attainment—are available through the ACS and can be analyzed alongside the ACS internet subscription and device tables. The Census Bureau is the authoritative source for these demographic baselines via Census.gov and data.census.gov.
• The ACS can identify correlations (for example, lower adoption rates in lower-income households), but it does not establish causal drivers for mobile-specific use without additional targeted local research.

Local planning and broadband coordination

• State and regional broadband planning materials sometimes provide qualitative and programmatic context (coverage challenges, priority areas, and infrastructure projects). New Mexico’s statewide broadband planning and mapping resources are accessible through the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion.
• Local government context and planning references can be sourced from the Grant County official website, which is relevant for understanding county geography, communities served, and public-safety communications priorities, though it does not typically publish standardized mobile adoption statistics.

Summary: what can be stated reliably at the county level

• Network availability: Best measured via provider-reported FCC location-level maps for LTE and 5G availability (availability ≠ adoption). Primary reference: the FCC National Broadband Map.
• Household adoption: Best measured via ACS tables for (a) internet subscription types including cellular data plans and (b) device ownership including smartphones. Primary reference: data.census.gov (ACS).
• Geographic constraints: Grant County’s mountainous terrain and dispersed population are structural factors that commonly limit uniform coverage and slow the expansion of higher-frequency 5G footprints relative to urban counties.
• County-level gaps: Public county-level sources generally do not provide a definitive statistic for “mobile penetration” as an individual-level ownership rate, nor a standardized county breakdown of active 4G vs. 5G usage; the most defensible county indicators are household subscription and device availability (ACS) and provider-reported coverage (FCC).

Grant County is in southwestern New Mexico along the Arizona border and includes Silver City (the county seat) and the Gila National Forest region. The county’s mix of a small micropolitan hub (Silver City), rural communities, outdoor-recreation tourism, Western New Mexico University, and cross-border regional ties tends to align social media use with (1) community information needs (local news, events, public safety), (2) tourism and small-business promotion, and (3) mobile-first communication common in dispersed rural areas.

User statistics (penetration / active use)

• Local (Grant County-specific) social media penetration: No major U.S. survey source publishes county-level social media penetration estimates for Grant County specifically; most reputable benchmarks are national or state-level.
• National benchmark (adults): About 7 in 10 U.S. adults use at least one social media site, according to Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet. This provides the most widely cited baseline for “percent active on social platforms” in the U.S.
• Connectivity context (important for rural usage): Social media activity levels in rural counties are strongly shaped by broadband and mobile coverage. County-level broadband availability can be reviewed via the FCC National Broadband Map (availability by location, provider, and technology).

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

Based on national age patterns reported by Pew Research Center, usage is highest among younger adults and declines with age:

• 18–29: highest usage (commonly reported around the mid-to-high 80% range on “any social media” in recent Pew waves)
• 30–49: next-highest (typically around the upper 70% range)
• 50–64: moderate (often around the upper 50% to 60% range)
• 65+: lowest (often around the 40% range)

Local implication for Grant County: the presence of a university community (Silver City) supports higher usage among young adults, while a substantial older population in rural areas tends to concentrate activity on fewer, more utility-oriented platforms (notably Facebook).

Gender breakdown

Pew’s platform-level findings show gender differences vary by platform rather than “social media overall,” with patterns such as:

• Women more likely than men to use Pinterest and, in many surveys, slightly more likely to use Facebook.
• Men more likely than women to use platforms such as Reddit and, in some waves, YouTube at slightly higher rates. These patterns are summarized across platforms in the Pew Research Center social media tables. Reliable county-specific gender splits are not typically published for social media usage.

Most-used platforms (with percentages where possible)

National adult usage shares (commonly cited in Pew reporting; exact values vary by survey year) provide the best reputable proxy for likely platform ordering in Grant County:

• YouTube and Facebook: consistently the top two platforms among U.S. adults in Pew’s tracking (platform usage estimates).
• Instagram: widely used, especially among adults under 30.
• TikTok: strong concentration among younger adults; adoption has increased rapidly in recent years.
• LinkedIn: more common among college-educated and professional segments; likely concentrated around education, healthcare, government, and professional services in the county’s main population centers.
• Nextdoor: where present, tends to concentrate in neighborhood-level information exchange; coverage and adoption vary widely by locality.

Because county-level platform market shares are not reliably available from public, methodologically transparent sources, platform percentages should be treated as national benchmarks rather than measured local shares.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns / preferences)

Common behavioral patterns observed in rural and small-metro U.S. communities, consistent with national research and platform design:

• Facebook as a community bulletin board: Local “groups” and community pages often function as the primary channel for event promotion, school and civic updates, lost-and-found notices, and informal local news circulation—especially in counties with dispersed populations.
• Video-first information consumption: High YouTube usage nationally (Pew) aligns with practical local use cases: how-to content, local/regional news clips, and outdoor recreation media relevant to the Gila region.
• Age-based platform specialization: Younger adults tend to split attention across Instagram/TikTok for entertainment and social discovery, while older adults tend to concentrate activity on Facebook for community updates and keeping in touch with family.
• Engagement cadence shaped by connectivity: In areas with weaker fixed broadband or higher reliance on mobile, engagement often skews toward mobile-optimized formats (short-form video, image posts) and asynchronous community-group browsing rather than high-bandwidth live streaming.

Primary benchmark source: Pew Research Center — Social Media Use in 2024 (fact sheet and platform tables) (nationally representative survey estimates used as the most reliable public reference where county-level measurements are unavailable).

Grant County, New Mexico family and associate-related public records are primarily maintained through state and county offices. Vital records (birth and death certificates) are administered by the New Mexico Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, with local service often available through the NMDOH Public Health Office directory (including the Silver City area). Marriage licenses and some related records are issued and recorded by the Grant County Clerk. Adoption records are generally handled through New Mexico courts and are not treated as routine public records.

Public databases relevant to family/associates include recorded property documents and indexes maintained by the County Clerk/Recorder, and court case information maintained by the judiciary. New Mexico court case lookup is provided through the New Mexico Courts Case Lookup (re:SearchNM). Some recorded-document search functions may be available through the Grant County Clerk, with official copies available in person.

Access is typically available online through the state portals above and in person at the County Clerk’s office for recorded county documents. Privacy restrictions apply: New Mexico vital records are controlled-access for defined requesters, and adoption-related files are commonly sealed; some court matters (including many family-related cases) may have limited public visibility.

Types of records available

• Marriage licenses (and marriage certificates/returns)
  Grant County issues marriage licenses through the county clerk. After the ceremony, the officiant returns the completed license for recording, creating the county’s recorded marriage record.

• Divorce decrees (dissolutions of marriage)
  Divorces are adjudicated in district court. The final order is typically a Final Decree of Dissolution of Marriage (or similarly titled judgment/order) entered in the civil case file.

• Annulments
  Annulments are also court proceedings handled in district court and result in a court order or decree declaring the marriage void or voidable, maintained within the civil case file.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

• Marriage records

  • Filed/recorded at: Grant County Clerk (marriage license issuance and recording of completed licenses).
  • Access methods: In-person requests are handled by the county clerk’s office. Many New Mexico counties also provide recorded-document search tools or indexes through county systems or third-party platforms under contract; availability and coverage vary by county and time period.

• Divorce and annulment records

  • Filed at: New Mexico District Court serving Grant County (case filings, orders, and final decrees).
  • Access methods: Case information and documents are accessed through the district court clerk. Some docket information may be viewable through New Mexico Courts’ online case lookup systems; access to full documents commonly requires a request to the court and is subject to confidentiality rules, sealing orders, and redactions.

• State-level vital records

  • New Mexico maintains statewide vital-record systems for certain certified records through the Department of Health’s Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics. Certified copies and eligibility rules are governed by state law and agency policy; local recorded marriage records and court decrees remain the originating sources in the county clerk and district court, respectively.

Typical information included in these records

• Marriage license / recorded marriage return

  • Full names of both parties (including prior names as listed)
  • Date and place of marriage (or intended place; the recorded return reflects the ceremony details)
  • Date the license was issued; license number
  • Officiant name/title and signature
  • Witness information (when required by the form used)
  • Recording details (book/page or instrument number, filing date)

• Divorce decree

  • Names of the parties; case caption and case number
  • Court identification, judge, and date of decree
  • Findings and orders dissolving the marriage
  • Terms on property/debt division and related relief ordered by the court
  • Orders regarding child custody/time-sharing and child support when applicable
  • Spousal support/alimony orders when applicable
  • Restoration of a former name when granted

• Annulment order/decree

  • Names of the parties; case caption and case number
  • Court identification, judge, and date of order
  • Legal determination that the marriage is void or voidable and the basis found by the court
  • Related orders addressing property, support, and minor children when applicable
  • Name-change provisions when included

Privacy or legal restrictions

• Marriage records

  • Recorded marriage licenses/returns are generally treated as public records at the county level, though access to certified copies and the amount of personal information shown on copies can be limited by state law and local practice. Some identifying details may be redacted on publicly available images or copies.

• Divorce and annulment records

  • Court case files are generally public, but New Mexico court rules and statutes allow confidentiality and sealing for specified categories (for example, certain domestic relations details, protected personal identifiers, and records sealed by court order).
  • Protected personal identifier rules commonly restrict public display of sensitive information (such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and certain minor-related information), and filings may be redacted accordingly.
  • Certain exhibits (financial affidavits, medical/mental health information, and sensitive child-related material) are more likely to be restricted from public access, depending on how they are filed and whether the court has entered confidentiality or sealing orders.

• Certified-copy eligibility

  • Eligibility to obtain certified vital records is typically limited to the persons named in the record and other legally authorized requestors; informational (non-certified) access, indexing, and inspection rules vary by record type and custodian office.

Grant County is in southwestern New Mexico along the Arizona border, with Silver City as the county seat and the largest population center. The county includes a mix of small towns (notably Silver City and Bayard) and large rural areas, with an economy historically tied to mining and public-sector employment and a community context shaped by Western New Mexico University, regional healthcare services, and access to outdoor recreation in the Gila region. (Population size and some detailed indicators vary by source and year; the most consistent countywide benchmarks come from the U.S. Census Bureau and federal labor statistics.)

Education Indicators

Public schools (count and names)

Grant County’s public K–12 system is primarily served by Silver Consolidated Schools. A current roster of schools and campuses is maintained by the district on the Silver Consolidated Schools directory (Silver Consolidated Schools).
School-name lists are also available through the state’s public school directories; a widely used reference entry point is the New Mexico Public Education Department website (New Mexico Public Education Department).
Note: A single, authoritative “number of public schools in the county” figure is not consistently published in one place across sources; district and state directories are the most reliable way to enumerate schools by campus name.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratio (county proxy): Countywide ratios are commonly reported through Census/ACS and education data aggregators, but they can differ depending on whether charter enrollment, special programs, or district-only enrollment is included. The most defensible county proxy is the ACS school enrollment context combined with district staffing reports; this typically places rural NM counties in the mid-to-high teens per teacher.
• Graduation rates (district/state reporting): High school graduation rates are published annually by the state and are most reliably cited from New Mexico’s accountability reporting. The most direct official reference for graduation-rate reporting is the state education agency and its accountability publications (NMPED resources).
  Proxy note: In the absence of a single countywide graduation-rate release, district- and school-level graduation rates serve as the practical proxy for the county.

Adult educational attainment (most recent, county level)

From the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) county profiles, Grant County’s adult attainment is summarized through:

• High school graduate or higher (age 25+): reported in ACS county tables
• Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25+): reported in ACS county tables

The most consistent entry point for these county-level percentages is the Census Bureau’s QuickFacts for Grant County, New Mexico (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Grant County), which consolidates ACS-based attainment indicators.

Notable programs (STEM, vocational, Advanced Placement)

Program availability is most reliably documented at the district and high-school level:

• Advanced coursework (including AP/dual credit): Typically offered through district high schools and, in many NM communities, supported by dual-credit arrangements with nearby colleges or universities. Western New Mexico University (in Silver City) is a common local partner for college pathways (Western New Mexico University).
• Career and technical education (CTE)/vocational pathways: Often delivered through district CTE offerings aligned with state standards and regional workforce needs (e.g., health careers, trades, business/IT). New Mexico’s CTE frameworks and supports are described through state education resources (New Mexico Public Education Department).

Data limitation: A countywide inventory of STEM academies, AP course counts, and CTE program sequences is not consistently published as a single compiled dataset; district course catalogs and school profiles provide the definitive detail.

School safety measures and counseling resources

District and state frameworks typically include:

• School safety planning and threat reporting protocols
• Campus security measures (visitor controls, emergency drills, coordination with local law enforcement)
• Student support services including school counseling and, where funded, mental health and behavioral health supports

State-level school safety and student wellness frameworks are maintained by the New Mexico Public Education Department (Safe & Healthy Schools resources). District-specific counseling staffing and safety plans are generally maintained in district policy documents and student handbooks (district website).

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year available)

The most comparable county unemployment figures are published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) through Local Area Unemployment Statistics and county-level time series. The most recent annual and monthly rates for Grant County are available via the BLS LAUS county data tools (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics).
County-specific numeric values vary month to month; the BLS series is the authoritative source for the latest rate.

Major industries and employment sectors

Grant County’s employment base commonly reflects:

• Public administration and education (local government and school employment, plus higher education presence in Silver City)
• Healthcare and social assistance (regional medical services)
• Retail trade and accommodation/food services (local-serving and visitor-oriented activity)
• Mining and related support activities (historically significant in the region; employment levels fluctuate with commodity cycles)
• Construction and transportation (serving local development and regional logistics)

County industry composition is summarized in ACS “industry by occupation” style tables and profile pages, accessible via the Census Bureau’s county profile entry points (QuickFacts) and more detailed ACS tables through data.census.gov (data.census.gov).

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Occupational groups typically include:

• Education, training, and library (reflecting school and university roles)
• Healthcare practitioners and support occupations
• Office and administrative support
• Sales and related occupations
• Construction and extraction (including mining-related roles in the broader region)
• Transportation and material moving

The most standardized occupational breakdowns for counties come from ACS occupation tables available on data.census.gov (search: Grant County, NM; “occupation”).

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

• Commuting mode: Rural counties in southwestern New Mexico typically have high rates of driving alone and limited fixed-route transit coverage outside town centers.
• Mean travel time to work: Reported by ACS and available through Census county profile tables (mean commute time is a standard ACS estimate). The county’s most current mean commute time is accessible through data.census.gov and summarized in QuickFacts when included.

Local employment versus out-of-county work

Grant County includes an employment center in and around Silver City (education, healthcare, government, retail/services). Out-of-county commuting occurs, particularly for specialized jobs and for some mining and regional service roles, but the best quantitative measure is the U.S. Census “commuting flows” datasets. The Census Bureau’s primary access point for commuting flow products is Census commuting resources.
Proxy note: In the absence of a single consolidated county statistic in general profiles, commuting-flow tables provide definitive local-vs-outflow counts.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

Grant County’s housing tenure is reported in ACS:

• Owner-occupied share
• Renter-occupied share

These tenure percentages are available in the county profile on U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts and in detail via data.census.gov (ACS table topics: tenure, occupied housing units).

Median property values and recent trends

• Median value of owner-occupied housing units: Reported by ACS as a county median. This is the most consistent countywide “property value” benchmark and is available through QuickFacts.
• Recent trends (proxy): County-level ACS medians update annually (1-year where available; otherwise 5-year). Trend direction can be inferred by comparing successive ACS 5-year releases; rural NM counties generally saw rising values during 2020–2023 with moderation thereafter, but the definitive trend for Grant County is the sequence of ACS medians on data.census.gov.
  Proxy note: Real-time market measures (list prices, days on market) are not part of ACS; ACS provides the most consistent official trend proxy.

Typical rent prices

• Median gross rent: Reported by ACS for the county and available on QuickFacts and data.census.gov.
  This measure includes contract rent plus estimated utilities and is the standard federal benchmark for “typical rent.”

Types of housing

Grant County’s housing stock is characterized by:

• Single-family detached homes in and around Silver City and small municipalities
• Manufactured homes and rural residential lots outside town centers, reflecting the county’s large rural land area
• Small multifamily buildings and apartments concentrated in town areas, often near the university, downtown services, and major corridors

Housing structure type distributions (single-family, multifamily by unit count, mobile/manufactured housing) are reported in ACS housing tables on data.census.gov.

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools or amenities)

• Silver City functions as the primary amenity hub (schools, university, hospital/clinics, retail, civic services). Residential areas closer to central Silver City generally have shorter access times to schools and services, while rural areas trade proximity for larger parcels and lower density.
• Bayard and the mining-area communities provide additional residential clusters with local schools and basic services, with broader shopping and higher education concentrated in Silver City.

Data limitation: “Neighborhood” indicators are not uniformly defined at the county level in federal datasets; municipal planning documents and local GIS layers are typically used for precise proximity analysis.

Property tax overview (average rate and typical homeowner cost)

• Property tax rate (proxy): New Mexico property taxes are administered locally, with effective rates varying by assessed value, exemptions, and local levies. County-level effective property tax rates are commonly approximated using state and county tax comparisons, but the definitive levy and assessment framework is maintained by the state and county assessor/treasurer offices.
• Typical homeowner cost (proxy): A practical benchmark is the ACS median annual owner costs (with mortgage and without mortgage), available through ACS housing cost tables on data.census.gov.

For statewide structure and local administration references, see the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department overview pages (NM Taxation and Revenue Department).
Proxy note: A single “average property tax bill” for the county is not consistently published as an official statistic; ACS owner-cost measures and local assessor/treasurer information provide the most defensible coverage without relying on non-official aggregations.*