Editing Lovington, New Mexico

{{For|the village in neighboring Eddy County|Loving, New Mexico}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Lovington, New Mexico
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Lovington New Mexico Public Library.jpg
|image_caption            = Lovington Public Library
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Lea_County_New_Mexico_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Lovington_Highlighted.svg
|map_caption              = Location of Lovington, New Mexico
|image_map1               = 
|map_caption1             =
|pushpin_map              = USA
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location within the [[United States]]
|pushpin_relief           = yes

<!-- 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             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|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           = 29.10
|area_land_km2            = 29.03
|area_water_km2           = 0.07
|area_total_sq_mi         = 11.23
|area_land_sq_mi          = 11.21
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.03

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
|population_total         = 11668
|population_density_km2   = 401.90
|population_density_sq_mi = 1040.95

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Mountain Time Zone|Mountain (MST)]]
|utc_offset               = &minus;7
|timezone_DST             = MDT
|utc_offset_DST           = &minus;6
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 3918
|coordinates              = {{coord|32|57|06|N|103|20|59|W|region:US-NM_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 88260
|area_code                = [[Area code 575|575]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 35-44490
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2410888<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2410888}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|lovington.org}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}

'''Lovington''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Lea County, New Mexico|Lea County]], [[New Mexico]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=2011-06-07|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The population was 11,009 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]],<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US3544490&tid=DECENNIALSF12010.P1| title=Total Population: 2010 Census DEC Summary File 1 (P1), Lovington city, New Mexico| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| website=data.census.gov| access-date=May 7, 2020}}</ref> up from 9,471 in 2000.

==Geography==
Lovington is located slightly north of the center of Lea County.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Lovington has a total area of {{convert|29.5|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.08|km2|order=flip|2}}, or 0.26%, are 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 7, 2020}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1920= 411
|1930= 961
|1940= 1916
|1950= 3134
|1960= 9660
|1970= 8915
|1980= 9727
|1990= 9322
|2000= 9471
|2010= 11009
|2020= 11668
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</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>
}}
[[File:Lea County New Mexico Court House.jpg|thumb|right|[[Lea County Courthouse]]]]

At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 9,471 people, 3,297 households, and 2,459 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,983.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 3,823 housing units at an average density of {{convert|800.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makeup]] of the city was 59.85% White, 3.03% African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 32.74% from other races, and 3.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 52.12%.<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>

Of the 3,297 households 41.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 22.8% of households were one person and 11.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.29.

The age distribution was 31.8% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% 65 or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median household income was $26,458 and the median family income was $30,064. Males had a median income of $28,547 versus $19,826 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,752. About 20.1% of families and 22.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 28.1% of those under age 18 and 16.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Infrastructure==
===Transportation===
====Highways====
*[[U.S. Route 82 in New Mexico|US 82]] passes through the center of town, leading west {{convert|64|mi}} to [[Artesia, New Mexico|Artesia]] and northeast {{convert|35|mi}} to [[Plains, Texas]].
*[[New Mexico State Road 18]] leads southeast from Lovington {{convert|21|mi}} to [[Hobbs, New Mexico|Hobbs]], the largest city in Lea County. 
*[[New Mexico State Road 83|State Road 83]] leads east {{convert|18|mi}} to the [[Texas]] border, where [[Texas State Highway 83]] continues east {{convert|14|mi}} to [[Denver City, Texas]].

====Railroad====
The [[Texas & New Mexico Railway]] provides freight service. Lovington is the northern terminus of this line.

==Education==
[[Lovington Municipal Schools]] is the area school district.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st35_nm/schooldistrict_maps/c35025_lea/DC20SD_C35025.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lea County, NM|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2022-07-14}}</ref> It operates [[Lovington High School]].

==Notable people==
* [[Ray Berry]], American football player
* [[Ronnie Black]], professional golfer
* [[Taymon Domzalski]], retired professional and [[Duke Blue Devils men's basketball|Duke University]] basketball star<ref name=chronicle>{{cite news|last1=Ganz|first1=Adam|title='It's been the most fun season I've had here'|url=http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/1999/03/04/its-been-most-fun-season-ive-had-here|access-date=21 January 2015|work=[[The Chronicle (Duke University)|The Chronicle]]}}</ref>
* [[Paul L. Foster]], billionaire  and President of Western Refining 
* [[Shirley Hooper]], 18th [[Secretary of State of New Mexico]]
* [[Sean Murphy (golfer)|Sean Murphy]], professional golfer
* [[Earlene Roberts]] (1935&ndash;2013), politician
* [[Ralph Tasker]], basketball coach 
* [[Titanic Thompson]], legendary gambler, raconteur
* [[Brian Urlacher]], retired [[NFL]] [[American football|football]] player, pro football hall of fame class of 2018

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|www.lovington.org}}

{{commons category|Lovington, New Mexico}}

{{Lea County, New Mexico}}
{{New Mexico}}
{{New Mexico county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in New Mexico]]
[[Category:Cities in Lea County, New Mexico]]
[[Category:County seats in New Mexico]]