Editing Hobbs, New Mexico

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                     = Hobbs, New Mexico
| settlement_type          = City
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = "It All Happens Here"

<!-- Images -->
| image_skyline            = 
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = 
| image_seal               = 
<!-- Maps -->
| image_map                = Lea_County_New_Mexico_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Hobbs_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location of Hobbs, New Mexico
| image_map1               = 
| mapsize1                 = 
| map_caption1             = 
| pushpin_map              = USA
| pushpin_map_caption      = Location in the United States
<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type         = Country
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[New Mexico]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in New Mexico|County]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Lea County, New Mexico|Lea]]
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = 
| leader_title             = Mayor
| leader_name              = Sam Cobb
| leader_title1            = City Manager
| leader_name1             = Manny Gomez
| established_title        = 
| established_date         = 
<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='35'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
| area_magnitude           = 
| area_total_km2           = 68.47
| area_land_km2            = 68.39
| area_water_km2           = 0.09
| area_total_sq_mi         = 26.44
| area_land_sq_mi          = 26.40
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.03

<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
| population_total         = 40508
| population_density_km2   = 592.35
| population_density_sq_mi = 1534.16

<!-- General information -->
| timezone                 = [[Mountain Time Zone|Mountain (MST)]]
| utc_offset               = 
| timezone_DST             = MDT
| utc_offset_DST           = &minus;6
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft             = 3642
| coordinates              = {{coord|32|43|41|N|103|09|36|W|region:US-NM_type:city|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code              = 88240-88242
| area_code                = [[Area code 575|575]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 35-32520
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 2410771<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2410771}}</ref>
| website                  = {{URL|www.hobbsnm.org}}
| footnotes                = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| population_est           = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
}}

'''Hobbs''' is a city in [[Lea County, New Mexico]], United States. Its population was 40,508 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US3532520&tid=DECENNIALSF12010.P1| title=Total Population: 2010 Census DEC Summary File 1 (P1), Hobbs city, New Mexico| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| website=data.census.gov| access-date=May 6, 2020}}</ref> increasing from 34,122 in 2010.

Hobbs is the principal city of the Hobbs, New Mexico [[micropolitan statistical area]], which includes all of Lea County.

==History==
Hobbs was founded in 1907 when James Isaac Hobbs established a [[Homestead principle|homestead]] and named the settlement.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hellmann |first=Paul T. |title=Historical Gazetteer of the United States |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=REtEXQNWq6MC&pg=PA741 |date=14 February 2006 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=1-135-94859-3 |page=741}}</ref> In 1910, the Hobbs post office opened, with James Hobbs as the first postmaster.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=NM&county=Lea | title=Lea County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=16 April 2015}}</ref> By 1911, about 25 landowners lived in Hobbs.<ref name=History>[{{cite news |last=Sholin |first=Terry M. |date=3 January 2001 |title=History of Hobbs |url=http://www.hobbsnm.us/hobbshistory.htm |newspaper=Hobbs New Sun |location=Hobbs |access-date=15 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150814200441/http://hobbsnm.us/hobbshistory.htm |archive-date=August 14, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The small, isolated settlement expanded rapidly following the discovery of oil by the Midwest Oil Company in 1927. A [[refinery]] was built the following year, and in 1929, the town of Hobbs was officially incorporated.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Archuletta |first1=Phil T. |last2=Holden |first2=Sharyl |title=Traveling New Mexico: A Guide to the Historical and State Park Markers |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VR4vU_bkWj8C&pg=PA152 |year=2004 |publisher=Sunstone Press |isbn=978-1-61139-117-6 |page=152}}</ref> At the peak of this oil boom, over 12,000 people lived in Hobbs. When the [[Great Depression in the United States|Great Depression]] hit, oil prices dropped and the population fell to only about 3,000 in 1931. A few years later, though, activity picked up in the oilfields and the population climbed to about 14,000 in 1940.<ref name=History/>

On June 23, 1938, seven local men were killed and five more injured when an explosive charge used in oil drilling detonated prematurely.<ref>{{cite news |title=SEVEN KILLED, FIVE HURT IN NITRO BLAST IN NEW MEXICO |url=http://www.gendisasters.com/new-mexico/9306/hobbs-nm-nitroglycerin-explosion-jun-1938 |access-date=20 June 2020 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=The Helena Independent |date=23 June 1938}}</ref>

Following the outbreak of [[World War II]], [[Hobbs Army Airfield]] was built north of town in 1942. In 1948, the city bought the air base and converted it into the Hobbs Industrial Air Park, which is still used for [[gliding|soaring]] competitions.

The first college in Hobbs opened in 1956. It was initially the First Baptist College, and in 1962, it became the College of the Southwest. The name was changed again to [[University of the Southwest]] in 2008. A second college, [[New Mexico Junior College]], opened in 1966.

An ordinance was passed in Hobbs in November 2022 to prevent abortion clinics from operating.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brooks |first=Brad |date=8 November 2022 |title=New Mexico city passes ordinance to block abortion clinics from operating |url= https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/new-mexico-city-passes-ordinance-to-block-abortion-clinics-from-operating/ar-AA13R1k6 |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> This ordinance was overwritten by a 2023 state law prohibiting local abortion bans.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lee|first=Morgan|title=New Mexico gov. signs bill overriding local abortion bans|url=https://apnews.com/article/abortion-transgender-rights-new-mexico-b0f945afe9cc2d8e4f90bb956e62694a|website=AP News|date=2023-03-16|access-date=2023-03-23}}</ref>

==Geography==
Hobbs is in eastern Lea County, less than {{convert|4|mi|0|abbr=on}} west of the [[Texas]] border. [[U.S. Route 62 in New Mexico|U.S. Routes 62]]/[[U.S. Route 180|180]] pass through the city, leading east {{convert|29|mi|abbr=on}} to [[Seminole, Texas]], and west {{convert|69|mi|abbr=on}} to [[Carlsbad, New Mexico|Carlsbad]]. [[New Mexico State Road 18|State Road 18]] also passes through Hobbs, leading northwest {{convert|21|mi|abbr=on}} to [[Lovington, New Mexico|Lovington]], the Lea [[county seat]], and south {{convert|61|mi|abbr=on}} to [[Kermit, Texas]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city of Hobbs has a total area of {{convert|68.5|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.1|sqkm|order=flip|2}}, or 0.14%, is covered by water.<ref name="Gazetteer 2019">{{cite web| url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_35.txt| title=U.S. Gazetteer Files: 2019: Places: New Mexico| website=U.S. Census Bureau Geography Division| access-date=May 6, 2020}}</ref> Land in the city drains either east to [[Seminole Draw]] or southeast to [[Monument Draw]], both of which are tributaries of [[Mustang Draw]] in Texas and ultimately part of the [[Colorado River (Texas)|Colorado River]] watershed.

==Climate==

Hobbs, like many parts of eastern New Mexico, has a [[semiarid climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''BSk'').<ref>{{cite journal | last=Abichou | first=Tarek | last2=Kormi | first2=Tarek | last3=Wang | first3=Cheng | last4=Chanton | first4=Jeffrey P. | last5=Green | first5=Roger | last6=Escobar | first6=Francisco | title=A novel approach to estimate methane oxidation in interim landfill covers across the USA | journal=International Journal of Environment and Waste Management | volume=15 | issue=4 | date=2015 | issn=1478-9876 | doi=10.1504/IJEWM.2015.069961 | page=317}}</ref> The city experiences hot summers and chilly winters. With around 70% of precipitation coming in the high solar half of the year, Hobbs may also be defined as a dry-winter [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cwa'').

{{Weather box
|location = Hobbs, New Mexico, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1913–2022
|single line = Yes
|collapsed = Yes

|Jan record high F = 83
|Feb record high F = 87
|Mar record high F = 95
|Apr record high F = 98
|May record high F = 107
|Jun record high F = 114
|Jul record high F = 110
|Aug record high F = 108
|Sep record high F = 109
|Oct record high F = 98
|Nov record high F = 89
|Dec record high F = 84

|Jan avg record high F = 73.1
|Feb avg record high F = 77.5
|Mar avg record high F = 84.4
|Apr avg record high F = 90.7
|May avg record high F = 97.9
|Jun avg record high F = 104.1
|Jul avg record high F = 102.6
|Aug avg record high F = 100.9
|Sep avg record high F = 97.2
|Oct avg record high F = 90.6
|Nov avg record high F = 79.7
|Dec avg record high F = 71.8
|year avg record high F = 105.7

|Jan high F = 55.1
|Feb high F = 60.7
|Mar high F = 68.5
|Apr high F = 77.1
|May high F = 85.3
|Jun high F = 93.4
|Jul high F = 94.1
|Aug high F = 92.0
|Sep high F = 84.6
|Oct high F = 76.0
|Nov high F = 63.6
|Dec high F = 55.7
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 42.3
|Feb mean F = 46.8
|Mar mean F = 54.0
|Apr mean F = 62.3
|May mean F = 71.3
|Jun mean F = 79.2
|Jul mean F = 81.4
|Aug mean F = 79.9
|Sep mean F = 72.7
|Oct mean F = 62.9
|Nov mean F = 50.9
|Dec mean F = 43.1
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 29.6
|Feb low F = 33.0
|Mar low F = 39.5
|Apr low F = 47.5
|May low F = 57.3
|Jun low F = 65.1
|Jul low F = 68.7
|Aug low F = 67.7
|Sep low F = 60.7
|Oct low F = 49.7
|Nov low F = 38.1
|Dec low F = 30.5
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = 16.7
|Feb avg record low F = 18.7
|Mar avg record low F = 23.8
|Apr avg record low F = 32.5
|May avg record low F = 42.7
|Jun avg record low F = 56.1
|Jul avg record low F = 61.3
|Aug avg record low F = 60.8
|Sep avg record low F = 48.4
|Oct avg record low F = 34.1
|Nov avg record low F = 22.8
|Dec avg record low F = 16.4
|year avg record low F = 12.2

|Jan record low F = -7
|Feb record low F = -2
|Mar record low F = 1
|Apr record low F = 17
|May record low F = 27
|Jun record low F = 37
|Jul record low F = 47
|Aug record low F = 45
|Sep record low F = 35
|Oct record low F = 12
|Nov record low F = 4
|Dec record low F = -1

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.50
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.53
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.63
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.76
|May precipitation inch = 1.91
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.27
|Jul precipitation inch = 1.74
|Aug precipitation inch = 2.06
|Sep precipitation inch = 2.46
|Oct precipitation inch = 0.87
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.53
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.51
|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 2.5
|Feb precipitation days = 1.6
|Mar precipitation days = 1.7
|Apr precipitation days = 2.0
|May precipitation days = 3.5
|Jun precipitation days = 4.3
|Jul precipitation days = 4.1
|Aug precipitation days = 5.2
|Sep precipitation days = 5.5
|Oct precipitation days = 3.0
|Nov precipitation days = 2.0
|Dec precipitation days = 1.8

|Jan snow inch = 0.9
|Feb snow inch = 0.2
|Mar snow inch = 0.0
|Apr snow inch = 0.1
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.1
|Nov snow inch = 0.0
|Dec snow inch = 0.5
|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 0.4
|Feb snow days = 0.2
|Mar snow days = 0.0
|Apr snow days = 0.0
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.0
|Nov snow days = 0.0
|Dec snow days = 0.3

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00294026&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Hobbs, NM
|access-date = April 8, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=maf
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Midland
|access-date = April 8, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1930= 598
|1940= 10619
|1950= 13875
|1960= 26275
|1970= 26025
|1980= 29153
|1990= 29115
|2000= 28657
|2010= 34122
|2020= 40508
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426102944/http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|archive-date=April 26, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:35&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=Oct 12, 2022}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Hobbs Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US3532520&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-07|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]
|11,515
|28.4%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]]
|2,058
|5.1%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|312
|0.8%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|491
|1.2%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|17
|<0.1%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/mixed]]
|1,039
|2.6%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|25,076
|61.9%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], 40,508 people, 12,028 households, and 8,572 families resided in the city.

===2010 census===
As of 2010, 33,405 people, 10,040 households, and 7,369 families were residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,514.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 11,968 housing units averaged {{convert|632.3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the city was 63.5% White, 6.8% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 24.5% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 42.18% of the population.

Of the 10,040 households, 39.8% had children under 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were not families. About 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.72, and the average family size was 3.22.

In the city, the age distribution was 30.4% under 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,100, and for a family was $33,017. Males had a median income of $31,352 versus $20,841 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,209. About 20.2% of families and 24.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.3% of those under age 18 and 15.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Economy==
The largest industries in Hobbs are mining/quarrying and oil and gas extraction, followed by retail trade and educational services.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://datausa.io/profile/geo/hobbs-nm/|title=About Hobbs, NM|publisher=DataUSA|access-date=June 10, 2019}}</ref>  Hobbs is also home to Zia Park, a racetrack, hotel and casino with over 750 slot machines and table games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ziaparkcasino.com/visit|title=Visit Zia Park Casino Hotel & Racetrack|publisher=Zia Park|access-date=November 11, 2022}}</ref>

==Arts and culture==
[[File:Hobbs NM (35751087780).jpg|thumb|Sign in Hobbs]]

Located in Hobbs are the headquarters of the [[Soaring Society of America]] and Zia Park Casino, Hotel, and Racetrack, which offers live and simulcast racing, casino games, dining, and a 154-room hotel. The property is owned and operated by [[Penn National Gaming, Inc.]]<ref>{{cite web | title=About Zia Park Casino | url=http://www.ziaparkcasino.com/About | publisher=Zia Park Casino, Hotel & Racetrack | access-date=November 15, 2017}}</ref>

==Transportation==
===Highways===
*[[U.S. Route 62 in New Mexico|US 62]] runs east & west
*[[New Mexico State Road 18|NM 18]] runs north & south
*[[New Mexico State Road 132|NM 132]] runs north

===Railroad===
The [[Texas & New Mexico Railway]] provides freight service.

===Airport===
[[Lea County Regional Airport]] serves Hobbs with one commercial passenger airline flying to it.

==Education==
* [[University of the Southwest]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://usw.edu/|title=Welcome - University of Southwest|website=usw.edu}}</ref> is a private, four-year Christian university
* [[New Mexico Junior College]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nmjc.edu/|title=New Mexico Junior College|website=www.nmjc.edu}}</ref> is a public junior college
* [[Hobbs Municipal Schools]] is the local school district.
* [[Hobbs High School]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hobbsschools.net/|title=Home - Hobbs Municipal Schools|website=www.hobbsschools.net}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Tony Benford]], assistant coach with TCU's men's basketball team
* [[Ryan Bingham]], country singer/songwriter
* [[Ray Birmingham]], national champion collegiate baseball coach
* [[Bill Bridges (basketball)|Bill Bridges]], professional basketball player
* [[James O. Browning]], federal judge
* [[Roy Cooper (rodeo cowboy)|Roy Cooper]], rodeo cowboy 
* [[Diane Denish]], former lieutenant governor of New Mexico
* [[Tharon Drake]], swimmer, U.S. Paralympic medalist 2016
* [[Rob Evans (basketball)|Rob Evans]], former head basketball coach at the University of Mississippi and Arizona State University
* [[Colt McCoy]], NFL quarterback 
* [[Steve Pearce (politician)|Steve Pearce]], former Republican congressman for New Mexico's 2nd congressional district
* [[Guy Penrod]], gospel singer
* [[Timmy Smith]], former NFL player
* [[Ralph Tasker]], high school basketball coach
* [[Jeff Taylor (basketball)|Jeff Taylor]] and son [[Jeffery Taylor]], professional basketball players
* [[Harry Teague]], former Democratic congressman for [[New Mexico's 2nd congressional district]]
* [[Scott Terry]], former pitcher for the [[Cincinnati Reds]]
* [[Polo Urias]], singer

==See also==
{{portal|New Mexico}}
* [[Hobbs, Texas]]
* [[Eastern New Mexico]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Hobbs, New Mexico}}
*{{Official website|www.hobbsnm.org}}

{{Lea County, New Mexico}}
{{New Mexico}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in New Mexico]]
[[Category:Cities in Lea County, New Mexico]]
[[Category:Micropolitan areas of New Mexico]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1907]]
[[Category:1907 establishments in New Mexico Territory]]