Luna County

Key demographics for Luna County, New Mexico

Population

• Total: 25,427 (2020 Census)
• 2023 estimate: ~24,700 (Census Bureau estimate; modest decline since 2020)

Age

• Under 5 years: ~6.8%
• Under 18 years: ~27%
• 65 years and over: ~20%
• Median age: ~38 years (ACS 2018–2022)

Gender

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50% (ACS 2018–2022)

Race and ethnicity

• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~66%
• White alone, non-Hispanic: ~29%
• Black or African American alone, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
• Asian alone, non-Hispanic: <1%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~2% (2020 Census/ACS)

Households and housing

• Households: ~9,500
• Persons per household: ~2.6–2.7
• Family households: ~67% of households; married-couple families ~40–45%
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: ~70%
• Total housing units: ~11,000–12,000; vacancy roughly mid-teens percent (ACS 2018–2022)

Insights

• Population is small and trending slightly downward post-2020.
• Majority-Hispanic county (~two-thirds) with a near-even gender split.
• Age structure skews younger than many rural areas (over one-quarter under 18) yet has a sizable senior share (~1 in 5).
• Housing is predominantly owner-occupied with modest household sizes.

Luna County, NM snapshot (2025):

• Estimated email users: ≈17,000 residents (about two-thirds of the county). Basis: population ≈25k; ≈77% are 18+; 75–80% have internet access; >90% of connected adults use email.
• Age distribution of email users (share of users): 18–29: ~18%; 30–49: ~32%; 50–64: ~28%; 65+: ~22%. Older adults are slightly underrepresented versus their population share due to lower adoption, but usage remains high.
• Gender split among users: ~51% female, ~49% male, mirroring the county’s population.
• Digital access trends: About 70–75% of households subscribe to home broadband and roughly 85–90% have a computer or smartphone. Mobile-only access is common (≈15–20% of households), and broadband adoption trails the U.S. average by roughly 10–15 percentage points. Connectivity and usage are highest in and around Deming and along the I‑10 corridor.
• Local density/connectivity context: The county is very rural—about 8 residents per square mile across nearly 3,000 square miles—which raises last‑mile infrastructure costs and contributes to patchy fixed broadband. Public Wi‑Fi (libraries, schools, community centers) is an important supplement for access.

Mobile phone usage in Luna County, New Mexico — key facts and how they differ from the state

Scale of use and user estimates

• Population: 25,427 (2020 Census). Adult share is high and mobile adoption is widespread.
• Households with a smartphone: 81% (ACS 2018–2022). New Mexico statewide: 89%.
• Households with any broadband subscription (of any type): 69%. Statewide: 78%.
• Households relying on a cellular data plan as their only internet connection: 18%. Statewide: 11%.
• Households with no internet subscription: 24%. Statewide: 19%.
• Implied user count: approximately 16,500–18,000 adult mobile phone users, with an elevated share depending on mobile service for primary connectivity due to limited and costlier fixed options.

Demographic breakdown (usage patterns)

• Age: Seniors (65+) make up a larger share of Luna County than the state average, and smartphone adoption among seniors is notably lower than among working-age adults. This raises the county’s overall share of households with no internet and depresses smartphone penetration relative to New Mexico.
• Income: Lower median household income drives higher prepaid plan usage and a higher rate of cellular-only internet households than the state. Cost sensitivity translates into more data-capped plans and device sharing in multi-person households.
• Race/ethnicity: A majority-Hispanic county profile correlates with above-average smartphone dependence for internet access (mobile-first behavior) and below-average fixed broadband take-up versus the state, consistent with ACS internet-subscription patterns by ethnicity.
• Households with children: Broadband subscription rates are lower than the state average, pushing more school-age households to rely on smartphones and hotspots for homework and streaming.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Network availability: All three national carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) offer 4G LTE countywide along primary road corridors. 5G service is present in and around Deming and along I‑10; coverage thins quickly outside those corridors.
• Rural gaps: LTE/5G reliability drops south toward the border (NM‑11 to Columbus and the NM‑9 corridor toward Hachita/Playas) and around the Florida Mountains, producing larger dead zones than typical for New Mexico counties with major metro anchors.
• First responder networks: AT&T FirstNet Band 14 sites cover the I‑10 corridor and Deming area; outside that footprint, coverage can be intermittent, impacting public-safety and telehealth reliability in remote areas.
• Cross‑border effects: Proximity to Mexico occasionally triggers network selection issues and higher latency or roaming near the international line, a challenge less common in most of the state.
• Capacity and speeds: Median mobile speeds and capacity are strongest along I‑10 (where recent 5G mid‑band upgrades concentrate) and materially weaker off-corridor—creating a pronounced “corridor effect” compared with statewide patterns.

How Luna County trends differ from the New Mexico baseline

• Lower smartphone penetration at the household level than the state, driven by older age structure and income constraints.
• Higher cellular-only internet dependence (18% vs 11%) and higher no‑internet rate (24% vs 19%), indicating heavier reliance on mobile networks for primary connectivity and a deeper affordability and availability gap.
• More severe off‑corridor coverage and reliability issues, with 5G concentrated in Deming and along I‑10 rather than broadly distributed.
• Greater prevalence of prepaid plans, Lifeline/low‑income program participation, and device sharing, reflecting cost management strategies uncommon in better‑served urban counties.
• Education and telehealth usage is more mobile‑centric, with hotspots and smartphones filling gaps where fixed broadband is unavailable or unaffordable.

Implications

• Mobile networks function as the county’s de facto broadband for a sizable minority of households; improvements to mid‑band 5G outside the I‑10 corridor would yield outsized benefits.
• Affordability measures and device programs have a larger impact in Luna County than statewide averages would suggest, particularly for seniors and low‑income families.
• Planning for emergency communications and public services should assume uneven mobile reliability outside Deming and prioritize buildout along NM‑11 and NM‑9 to close the county’s coverage gap relative to the New Mexico norm.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2018–2022 5‑year (Table S2801/S2802 for device and subscription types); FCC mobile coverage filings and publicly reported carrier coverage footprints through 2024.

Luna County, NM social media snapshot (2025)

County profile

• Population: ≈25,000–26,000 residents; adults (18+): ≈19,000–20,000
• Age groups (ACS-based profile): ≈25% under 18; ≈20% ages 18–34; ≈18% ages 35–49; ≈18% ages 50–64; ≈19% ages 65+
• Gender: ≈50% female, ≈50% male
• Ethnicity context: Majority Hispanic/Latino, border-county ties to Mexico

Most-used platforms among adults (estimated share of adults who use each)

• YouTube: ≈80–85%
• Facebook: ≈65–70%
• Instagram: ≈45–50%
• WhatsApp: ≈35–45 (elevated vs U.S. average due to high Hispanic adoption and cross‑border communication)
• TikTok: ≈30–35%
• Snapchat: ≈25–30%
• Pinterest: ≈30–35%
• X (Twitter): ≈20–23% Note: County-level platform use is not directly reported; figures apply 2024 Pew U.S. adoption rates, adjusted qualitatively for Luna County’s rural, Hispanic-majority profile.

Age-pattern highlights

• Teens/young adults (under 30): Very high on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat; Facebook used for groups/events but less “posting”
• 30–49: Broad platform mix; heavy Facebook/YouTube; growing Instagram and TikTok for short-form video and local business discovery
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram use moderate; TikTok adoption selective via shared links
• 65+: Facebook primary; YouTube for how‑to, news, and faith content

Gender-pattern highlights

• Women: Higher likelihood of Facebook Groups/Marketplace participation; Pinterest use notably higher than men; Instagram Stories/Reels for local shopping and services
• Men: Higher relative presence on YouTube (how‑to, auto, trades, sports) and X/Reddit (smaller bases locally)

Behavioral trends

• Community-first usage: Facebook Groups and local pages (schools, sports, churches, county/city updates), buy‑sell‑trade, and event coordination are central
• Messaging as a channel: Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp widely used for family ties (including cross‑border) and for contacting small businesses
• Video-forward consumption: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) drives discovery; YouTube remains the go‑to for longer how‑to and bilingual content
• Mobile‑first, evening peaks: Engagement highest after work/school and on weekends; many users rely on mobile data where home broadband is limited
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace and Instagram/TikTok posts convert well for food trucks, auto/ATV, crafts, and home services; DMs are a common lead source
• Language mix: Strong presence of Spanish/English content; WhatsApp and Facebook used for Spanish-language community information
• News and alerts: Local agencies and media primarily push through Facebook; shares in neighborhood groups amplify reach quickly

Sources and method

• U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2018–2022 (age/gender structure)
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use 2024 (platform adoption by U.S. adults; used to model county shares)
• Adjustments reflect Luna County’s rural setting and Hispanic-majority population, which typically increase WhatsApp/Facebook usage and reduce LinkedIn/Reddit compared with national averages