Median Income
$51,429
household / year
Median Home Value
$82,500
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,125
gross / month
Cost of Living
91
national avg = 100

Is Lake Arthur, NM a Good Place to Live?

Lake Arthur is a small town of 527 in New Mexico, with a median household income of $51,429 and a 4.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is 9% below the national average.

Strengths: Lake Arthur stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Lake Arthur is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Lake Arthur city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 91.2

Lake Arthur's overall cost of living index is 91.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lake Arthur costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.

Metric Lake Arthur, NM National Avg
Median Home Value $82,500 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,125 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 79.9% 65.9%
Median Household Income $51,429 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Lake Arthur's violent crime rate is 701.1 per 100,000 residents — 84% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
701.1 /100k
Property Crime
2145.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Lake Arthur is served primarily by LAKE ARTHUR. The student-to-teacher ratio is 9.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Lake Arthur, NM National Avg
School District LAKE ARTHUR
Elementary Schools 1
Middle Schools 1
High Schools 1
Student/Teacher Ratio 9.8:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 5.9% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 78.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Lake Arthur sees average highs of 57.5°F in January and 95.1°F in July, with 12.1 inches of annual precipitation and 3.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricLake Arthur, NM
Average High — January57.5°F
Average High — July95.1°F
Annual Precipitation12.1"
Annual Snowfall3.8"

Demographics

MetricLake Arthur, NMNational Avg
Population527
Median Age38.138.9
Unemployment Rate4.5%3.7%
Avg Commute Time21.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)68.5%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino31.5%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1815.7%22.2%
65 and over12.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Lake Arthur

Lake Arthur, NM is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Lake Arthur vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Lake Arthur's cost of living index is 91, where 100 is the national average. That makes Lake Arthur roughly 9% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $82,500 and median rent is $1,125/month.
Lake Arthur's violent crime rate is 701.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2145.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Lake Arthur are operated by LAKE ARTHUR. The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 9.8:1. 5.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Lake Arthur, NM has a population of 527, a median household income of $51,429, and an unemployment rate of 4.5%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Lake Arthur averages 57.5°F in January and 95.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 12.1 inches with about 3.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Lake Arthur, NM is covered by 1 ZIP code: 88253.
The population of Lake Arthur, New Mexico is 527 with a median age of 38.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Lake Arthur: cost of living index 91 (100 = US average), median home $82,500, median household income $51,429, crime index 152 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Lake Arthur side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.