Economy

Catron County has one of the smallest labor forces in New Mexico, and only about a third of its adults are in it, a reflection of an older, retirement-heavy population spread thin across ranchland and national forest. Ranching, forestry, and the seasonal tourism of the Gila high country shape the local economy, with government, schools, and health services providing much of the steady payroll in and around Reserve.

Because the county has only about 1,070 employed residents, the American Community Survey's detailed industry breakdown carries margins of error too wide to publish responsibly, so this profile reports the reliable population, workforce, housing, and tax figures and describes the industry mix in words rather than a chart. The headcounts below are the more dependable measures for a place this small.

Workforce

1,117
In the labor force
Census ACS 2020-2024
1,070
Employed, civilian 16+
Census ACS 2020-2024

JTIP's small-community and rural tiers apply to Catron County hires: see the JTIP guide. Gross receipts tax rates vary by community within the county, from 6.0625% in the unincorporated remainder to 7.7500% in Reserve: check any address in the GRT tool.

Housing

1,789
Occupied housing units
Census ACS 2020-2024
93.8%
Owner-occupied
Census ACS 2020-2024

Median home value and median gross rent are not shown: in a county this small the ACS estimates carry margins of error wider than 20 percent, too wide to publish as point figures.

Sources and updates

  • U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Catron County, New Mexico (population B01003, labor force B23025, tenure B25003). Catron County has about 3,700 people, so median household income (MOE +/- $16,681), median home value (MOE +/- $63,396), median gross rent (MOE +/- $581), and detailed industry shares carry margins of error too wide to publish, and are omitted rather than shown.
  • NM Taxation and Revenue Department, Gross Receipts and Compensating Tax Rate Schedule effective July 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026 (Catron County remainder 6.0625%, Reserve 7.7500%).

All figures on this page carry their source inline. Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026. Corrections are welcome through the contact form.