Hobbs, New Mexico | |
|---|---|
City | |
| Motto: "It All Happens Here" | |
 Location of Hobbs, New Mexico | |
  Hobbs, New Mexico Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates:32°43′41″N103°09′36″W / 32.72806°N 103.16000°W /32.72806; -103.16000[1] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Lea |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Sam Cobb |
| • City Manager | Manny Gomez |
| Area | |
• Total | 26.44 sq mi (68.47 km2) |
| • Land | 26.41 sq mi (68.39 km2) |
| • Water | 0.035 sq mi (0.09 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,642 ft (1,110 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 40,508 |
| • Density | 1,534.2/sq mi (592.35/km2) |
| Time zone | Mountain (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| ZIP codes | 88240-88242 |
| Area code | 575 |
| FIPS code | 35-32520 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410771[1] |
| Website | www |
Hobbs is a city inLea County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 40,508 at the2020 census,[4] increasing from 34,122 in 2010. It is the state'sseventh-most populous city.
Hobbs is the principal city of the Hobbs, New Mexicomicropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Lea County.
Hobbs was founded in 1907 when James Isaac Hobbs established ahomestead and named the settlement.[5] In 1910, the Hobbs post office opened, with James Hobbs as the first postmaster.[6] By 1911, about 25 landowners lived in Hobbs.[7]
The small, isolated settlement expanded rapidly following the discovery of oil by the Midwest Oil Company in 1927. Arefinery was built the following year, and in 1929, the town of Hobbs was officially incorporated.[8] At the peak of this oil boom, over 12,000 people lived in Hobbs. When theGreat 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.[7]
On June 23, 1938, seven local men were killed and five more injured when an explosive charge used in oil drilling detonated prematurely.[9]
Following the outbreak ofWorld 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 forsoaring 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 toUniversity 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.[10] This ordinance was overwritten by a 2023 state law prohibiting local abortion bans.[11]
Hobbs is in eastern Lea County, less than 4 mi (6 km) west of theTexas border.U.S. Routes 62/180 pass through the city, leading east 29 mi (47 km) toSeminole, Texas, and west 69 mi (111 km) toCarlsbad.State Road 18 also passes through Hobbs, leading northwest 21 mi (34 km) toLovington, the Leacounty seat, and south 61 mi (98 km) toKermit, Texas.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city of Hobbs has a total area of 26.4 square miles (68.5 km2), of which 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.14%, is covered by water.[12] Land in the city drains either east toSeminole Draw or southeast toMonument Draw, both of which are tributaries ofMustang Draw in Texas and ultimately part of theColorado River watershed.
Hobbs, like many parts of Eastern New Mexico, has asemiarid climate (Köppen climate classificationBSk).[13] 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-winterhumid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classificationCwa).
| Climate data for Hobbs, New Mexico, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1913–2022 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 83 (28) | 87 (31) | 95 (35) | 98 (37) | 107 (42) | 114 (46) | 110 (43) | 108 (42) | 109 (43) | 98 (37) | 89 (32) | 84 (29) | 114 (46) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 73.1 (22.8) | 77.5 (25.3) | 84.4 (29.1) | 90.7 (32.6) | 97.9 (36.6) | 104.1 (40.1) | 102.6 (39.2) | 100.9 (38.3) | 97.2 (36.2) | 90.6 (32.6) | 79.7 (26.5) | 71.8 (22.1) | 105.7 (40.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 55.1 (12.8) | 60.7 (15.9) | 68.5 (20.3) | 77.1 (25.1) | 85.3 (29.6) | 93.4 (34.1) | 94.1 (34.5) | 92.0 (33.3) | 84.6 (29.2) | 76.0 (24.4) | 63.6 (17.6) | 55.7 (13.2) | 75.5 (24.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 42.3 (5.7) | 46.8 (8.2) | 54.0 (12.2) | 62.3 (16.8) | 71.3 (21.8) | 79.2 (26.2) | 81.4 (27.4) | 79.9 (26.6) | 72.7 (22.6) | 62.9 (17.2) | 50.9 (10.5) | 43.1 (6.2) | 62.2 (16.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 29.6 (−1.3) | 33.0 (0.6) | 39.5 (4.2) | 47.5 (8.6) | 57.3 (14.1) | 65.1 (18.4) | 68.7 (20.4) | 67.7 (19.8) | 60.7 (15.9) | 49.7 (9.8) | 38.1 (3.4) | 30.5 (−0.8) | 48.9 (9.4) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 16.7 (−8.5) | 18.7 (−7.4) | 23.8 (−4.6) | 32.5 (0.3) | 42.7 (5.9) | 56.1 (13.4) | 61.3 (16.3) | 60.8 (16.0) | 48.4 (9.1) | 34.1 (1.2) | 22.8 (−5.1) | 16.4 (−8.7) | 12.2 (−11.0) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −7 (−22) | −2 (−19) | 1 (−17) | 17 (−8) | 27 (−3) | 37 (3) | 47 (8) | 45 (7) | 35 (2) | 12 (−11) | 4 (−16) | −1 (−18) | −7 (−22) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 0.50 (13) | 0.53 (13) | 0.63 (16) | 0.76 (19) | 1.91 (49) | 1.27 (32) | 1.74 (44) | 2.06 (52) | 2.46 (62) | 0.87 (22) | 0.53 (13) | 0.51 (13) | 13.77 (348) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.9 (2.3) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.5 (1.3) | 1.8 (4.61) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 2.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 5.2 | 5.5 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 37.2 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.9 |
| Source 1: NOAA[14] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service[15] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 598 | — | |
| 1940 | 10,619 | 1,675.8% | |
| 1950 | 13,875 | 30.7% | |
| 1960 | 26,275 | 89.4% | |
| 1970 | 26,025 | −1.0% | |
| 1980 | 29,153 | 12.0% | |
| 1990 | 29,115 | −0.1% | |
| 2000 | 28,657 | −1.6% | |
| 2010 | 34,122 | 19.1% | |
| 2020 | 40,508 | 18.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[16][3] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 11,515 | 28.4% |
| Black or African American | 2,058 | 5.1% |
| Native American | 312 | 0.8% |
| Asian | 491 | 1.2% |
| Pacific Islander | 17 | <0.1% |
| Other/mixed | 1,039 | 2.6% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 25,076 | 61.9% |
As of the2020 United States census, 40,508 people, 12,028 households, and 8,572 families resided in the city.
As of 2010, 33,405 people, 10,040 households, and 7,369 families were residing in the city. The population density was 1,514.0 inhabitants per square mile (584.6/km2). The 11,968 housing units averaged 632.3 units per square mile (244.1 units/km2). Theracial 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.
The largest industries in Hobbs are mining/quarrying and oil and gas extraction, followed by retail trade and educational services.[18] NearbyEunice, NM hosts auranium enrichment facility operated byUrenco USA which provides technician and nuclear engineering jobs across the region, including Hobbs. Hobbs is also home to Zia Park, a racetrack, hotel and casino with over 750slot machines andtable games.[19]
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Located in Hobbs are the headquarters of theSoaring 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 byPenn National Gaming, Inc.[20]
TheTexas & New Mexico Railway provides freight service.
Lea County Regional Airport serves Hobbs with one commercial passenger airline flying to it.
Municipalities and communities ofLea County, New Mexico,United States | ||
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