Editing Otero County, New Mexico

{{Short description|County in New Mexico, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Otero County
 | state                = New Mexico
 | seal                 = 
 | flag                 = Flag of Otero County, New Mexico.svg
 | founded year         = 1899
 | named for            = [[Miguel Antonio Otero (born 1859)|Miguel Antonio Otero]]
 | founded date         = January 30
 | seat wl              = Alamogordo
 | largest city wl      = Alamogordo
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 6628
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 6613
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 14
 | area percentage      = 0.2%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 67839
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | web                  = co.otero.nm.us
 | ex image             = Otero County Court House Alamogordo.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Otero County courthouse in Alamogordo
 | district             = 2nd
 | time zone            = Mountain
}}

'''Otero County''' ({{langx|es|Condado de Otero}}) is a [[List of counties in New Mexico|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[New Mexico]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 67,839.<ref>{{cite web|title=Otero County, New Mexico|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Otero_County,_New_Mexico?g=050XX00US35035|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=July 3, 2023}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Alamogordo, New Mexico|Alamogordo]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> Its southern boundary is the [[Texas]] state line. It is named for [[Miguel Antonio Otero (born 1859)|Miguel Antonio Otero]], the territorial governor when the county was created.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newmexicohistory.org/people/miguel-otero-father-son-and-grandson|last=Thompson|first=Mark|agency=New Mexico Office of the State Historian|title=Miguel Otero: Father, Son, and Grandson|access-date=September 13, 2018}}</ref>

Otero County includes the Alamogordo Micropolitan Statistical Area.<ref>
{{cite web |title=Alamogordo, NM Micropolitan Statistical Area |url=http://www2.census.gov/econ2007/Reference_materials/geography/maps/nm/metro/31000us10460m.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609135222/http://www2.census.gov/econ2007/Reference_materials/geography/maps/nm/metro/31000us10460m.pdf |archive-date=June 9, 2011 |url-status=live |date=December 2006 |publisher=US Census Bureau |access-date=September 9, 2009}}
</ref>

==History==
The western part of Otero County was handed over to the [[United States Army]] as the US was preparing to enter [[World War II]] and eventually became part of [[White Sands Missile Range]]. This did not significantly hinder the growth of the county, whose population more than doubled in the 1950s.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

The county declared a state of emergency in April 2019 when the [[United States Border Patrol interior checkpoints|federal inspection stations]] on U.S. Route 70 and U.S. Route 54 were left unstaffed by [[U.S. Customs and Border Protection]] as part of the temporary closure of all six checkpoints in the El Paso Sector, which covers West Texas and New Mexico. The county was concerned about the possibility of illegal narcotics flowing north unchecked since the checkpoint agents had been shifted to the border to help process migrant asylum-seekers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/04/26/717299664/new-mexico-county-declares-local-emergency-over-abandoned-border-patrol-checkpoi|title=New Mexico County Declares Local Emergency Over Abandoned Border Patrol Checkpoints|last=Burnett|first=John|date=April 26, 2019|work=NPR News|access-date=April 27, 2019}}</ref> The inspection stations reopened August 5, 2019.

On Monday June 13, 2022, the county commissioners attracted nationwide attention by [[Big lie#Donald Trump's false claims of a stolen election|refusing to certify]] the results of the local 2022 primary election on June 7, 2022.<ref name= yahooYoutube >
*Morgan Lee [https://news.yahoo.com/building-anger-rural-mexico-erupts-181614155.html (18 June 2022) Building anger in rural New Mexico erupts in election crisis]
*Otero County [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv9KECp4khg (13 June 2022) Otero County Special Meeting June 13, 2022 1:22:24] Commisioners District 1: Gerald Matherly; District 2: Couy Griffin; District 3: Vickie Marquardt;</ref> In response, the New Mexico Secretary of State filed a lawsuit and [[writ of mandamus]] against the commissioners for their refusal. By Friday June 17, 2022, two of the three commissioners agreed to certify the election results, which defused the crisis.<ref name= oteroCountyCert >
*Fredreka Schouten [https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/election-standoff-ends-in-new-mexico-county-after-false-fraud-claims-threw-primary-certification-into-question/ar-AAYB264 (17 Jun 2022) Election standoff ends in New Mexico county after false fraud claims threw primary certification into question].
*Andrew Beale [https://sourcenm.com/2022/06/16/nm-supreme-court-steps-in-after-otero-county-refuses-to-certify-primary-result/ (16 Jun 2022) NM Supreme Court steps in after Otero County refuses to certify primary results].
*Adrian Hedden ''Alamogordo Daily News'' [https://www.alamogordonews.com/story/news/2022/06/16/otero-county-new-mexico-ordered-certify-2022-election-results-face-criminal-charges/65361397007/ (16 Jun 2022) New Mexico may open criminal investigation if Otero County doesn't certify election results].</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|6628|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|6613|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|14|sqmi}} (0.2%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_35.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 2, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101195546/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_35.txt|archive-date=January 1, 2015}}</ref> It is the third-largest county in New Mexico by area.

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col}}
* [[Doña Ana County, New Mexico|Doña Ana County]] – west
* [[Sierra County, New Mexico|Sierra County]] – northwest
* [[Lincoln County, New Mexico|Lincoln County]] – north
* [[Chaves County, New Mexico|Chaves County]] – east
* [[Eddy County, New Mexico|Eddy County]] – east
* [[Culberson County, Texas]] – southeast
* [[Hudspeth County, Texas]] – south
* [[El Paso County, Texas]] – southwest
{{div col end}}

===National protected areas===
* [[Lincoln National Forest]] (part)
* [[White Sands National Park]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1900 = 4791
| 1910 = 7069
| 1920 = 7902
| 1930 = 9779
| 1940 = 10522
| 1950 = 14909
| 1960 = 36976
| 1970 = 41097
| 1980 = 44665
| 1990 = 51928
| 2000 = 62298
| 2010 = 63797
| 2020 = 67839
| estyear = 
| estimate = 
| estref = 
| align-fn = center
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 2, 2015}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 2, 2015}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/nm190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 2, 2015}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 2, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/35/35035.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 30, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606230237/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/35/35035.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011}}</ref>
}}

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 62,298 people, 22,984 households, and 16,801 families living in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|9|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 29,272 housing units at an average density of {{convert|4|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 71.73% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 3.92% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 5.80% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 1.17% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.13% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 11.67% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 3.60% from two or more races. 32.16% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 22,984 households, out of which 37.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.50% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.90% were non-families. 23.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.50% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 21.00% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,861, and the median income for a family was $34,781. Males had a median income of $27,657 versus $18,470 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $14,345. About 15.60% of families and 19.30% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 27.90% of those under age 18 and 12.80% of those age 65 or over.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], there were 63,797&nbsp;people, 24,464&nbsp;households, and 16,641&nbsp;families living in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US35035
  |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data
  |access-date=January 24, 2016
|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213033148/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US35035
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The population density was {{convert|9.6|PD/sqmi}}. There were 30,992 housing units at an average density of {{convert|4.7|/sqmi}}.<ref name="census-density">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US35035
  |access-date=January 24, 2016
|title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213233540/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US35035
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 70.7% white, 6.7% American Indian, 3.5% black or African American, 1.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific islander, 11.5% from other races, and 4.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 34.5% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1"/> In terms of ancestry, 13.4% were [[Germans|German]], 8.1% were [[English people|English]], 8.0% were [[Irish people|Irish]], and 4.4% were [[Americans|American]].<ref name="census-dp2">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US35035
  |title=DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=January 24, 2016
|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213032401/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US35035
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

Of the 24,464&nbsp;households, 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.0% were non-families, and 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.05. The median age was 36.5 years.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

The median income for a household in the county was $39,615 and the median income for a family was $46,210. Males had a median income of $32,939 versus $25,965 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,255. About 15.2% of families and 20.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 28.0% of those under age 18 and 13.5% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US35035
  |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=January 24, 2016
|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213035116/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US35035
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==Education==
School districts in the county include:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st35_nm/schooldistrict_maps/c35035_otero/DC20SD_C35035.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503041353/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st35_nm/schooldistrict_maps/c35035_otero/DC20SD_C35035.pdf |archive-date=May 3, 2021 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Otero County, NM|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 27, 2021}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st35_nm/schooldistrict_maps/c35035_otero/DC20SD_C35035_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>
* [[Alamogordo Public Schools]]
* [[Cloudcroft Municipal Schools]]
* [[Gadsden Independent Schools]]
* [[Tularosa Municipal Schools]]

While the southeast portion of the county is in the Alamogordo district, that district contracts education of residents there to the [[Dell City Independent School District]] of [[Dell City, Texas]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aps4kids.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_372378/File/Board%20of%20Education/July%2022%20REg%20MTG/2020-07-22%20Virtual%20Regular%20Board%20Meeting%20Agenda.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728044225/http://www.aps4kids.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_372378/File/Board%20of%20Education/July%2022%20REg%20MTG/2020-07-22%20Virtual%20Regular%20Board%20Meeting%20Agenda.pdf |archive-date=July 28, 2021 |url-status=live|title=AGENDA Regular Board Meeting (Virtual Meeting) Wednesday, July 22, 2020, 6:00 pm|publisher=Alamogordo Public Schools|accessdate=July 28, 2021|quote=Dell City Purchase Requisition 20210058 - $34,063.12 for out of state tuition for students residing in the southeast corner of Otero County, NM that attend Dell City, TX ISD}}</ref> due to the distances involved, as the mileage to Alamogordo from the former Cienega School was {{convert|100|mi|km}} while the distance to Dell City is {{convert|20|mi|km}}.<ref name=Allbegan>{{cite news|title=It all began here in a tent school in 1898|newspaper=[[Alamogordo Daily News]]|place=[[Alamogordo, New Mexico]]|date=August 15, 1975|page=4}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6369400/education-in-aamogordofri-aug-1975/ Clipping of whole article], and [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104186815/ focus on the Dell City part], from [[Newspapers.com]].</ref>

Tribal schools affiliated with the [[Bureau of Indian Education]] (BIE):
* [[Mescalero Apache Schools]]

State-operated schools:
* [[New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired]]

Schools operated by foreign governments:
* [[Deutsche Schule Alamogordo]] (closed)

Tertiary:
* [[New Mexico State University Alamogordo]]

Public libraries:
* [[Alamogordo Public Library]]

==Communities==

===City===
* [[Alamogordo, New Mexico|Alamogordo]] (county seat)

===Villages===
* [[Cloudcroft, New Mexico|Cloudcroft]]
* [[Tularosa, New Mexico|Tularosa]]

===Census-designated places===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Bent, New Mexico|Bent]]
* [[Boles Acres, New Mexico|Boles Acres]]
* [[Chaparral, New Mexico|Chaparral]]
* [[High Rolls, New Mexico|High Rolls]]
* [[Holloman Air Force Base#Demographics|Holloman AFB]]
* [[La Luz, New Mexico|La Luz]]
* [[Mayhill, New Mexico|Mayhill]]
* [[Mescalero, New Mexico|Mescalero]]
* [[Orogrande, New Mexico|Orogrande]]
* [[Piñon, New Mexico|Piñon]]
* [[Sacramento, New Mexico|Sacramento]]
* [[Timberon, New Mexico|Timberon]]
* [[Twin Forks, New Mexico|Twin Forks]]
* [[Weed, New Mexico|Weed]]
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Hortonville, New Mexico|Hortonville]]
* [[Mountain Park, New Mexico|Mountain Park]]
* [[Newman, New Mexico|Newman]]
* [[Sunspot, New Mexico|Sunspot]]
* [[Three Rivers, New Mexico|Three Rivers]]

==Other places==
* [[Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation]]
* [[National Solar Observatory]]
* [[Otero County Prison Facility]]
* [[White Sands National Park]]
* [[White Sands Ranch]] (private land)
{{coord|32.62|-105.73|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-NM_source:UScensus1990}}

==Politics and government==
Otero County is a Republican stronghold, having last voted for a Democratic candidate in 1964. Governance of the county is under a three-member [[county commission]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://co.otero.nm.us/27/Government|title=Government &#124; Otero County, NM|website=co.otero.nm.us}}</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Otero County, New Mexico|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=April 1, 2018}}</ref>}}{{PresRow|2024|Republican|15,117|8,582|543|New Mexico}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|14,521|8,485|565|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|11,887|6,124|2,049|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|12,451|6,829|732|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|12,806|8,610|350|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|14,066|6,433|265|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|10,258|5,465|481|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|9,065|5,938|1,334|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|7,481|5,377|3,345|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|9,984|5,284|210|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|9,751|4,167|169|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|7,210|4,111|644|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|5,914|5,333|105|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|7,033|2,981|656|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|4,475|3,978|1,771|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|3,498|6,035|27|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|4,507|4,916|3|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|3,919|2,558|6|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|2,456|2,162|2|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|1,354|2,361|18|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|1,467|1,892|3|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|1,596|1,788|5|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,333|1,989|33|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|969|2,091|67|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,250|1,148|10|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|832|886|303|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,229|1,095|69|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|561|824|130|New Mexico}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|220|420|366|New Mexico}}

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Otero County, New Mexico]]
* [[South Central Regional Transit District]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite report |title=Otero County Comprehensive Plan |date=October 2005 |author=Sites Southwest LLC & Bohannan Huston Inc. |publisher=County of Otero |url=http://www.co.otero.nm.us/Oterococomplan-final-10-05%20small%20-%20Searchable.pdf |access-date=August 31, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724000142/http://www.co.otero.nm.us/Oterococomplan-final-10-05%20small%20-%20Searchable.pdf |archive-date=July 24, 2011}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Otero County, New Mexico
|North     = [[Lincoln County, New Mexico|Lincoln County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Chaves County, New Mexico|Chaves County]] and [[Eddy County, New Mexico|Eddy County]]
|Southeast = [[Culberson County, Texas]]
|South     = [[Hudspeth County, Texas]]
|Southwest = [[El Paso County, Texas]]
|West      = [[Doña Ana County, New Mexico|Doña Ana County]]
|Northwest = [[Sierra County, New Mexico|Sierra County]]
}}
{{Otero County, New Mexico}}
{{New Mexico}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Otero County, New Mexico| ]]
[[Category:1899 establishments in New Mexico Territory]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1899]]