Economy

The county economy centers on Silver City, where education, health care, and social assistance provide roughly a third of all jobs, followed by retail, hospitality, and professional services. Agriculture and mining together account for about 7 percent of the industry mix, and copper mining at the Mining District towns (Bayard, Hurley, Santa Clara) anchors the wider economy and sets the top of the local pay scale.

Employment by industry, Grant County

Education, health care, and social assistance 31.8%
Retail trade 10.7%
Arts, entertainment, recreation, and food service 10.1%
Professional, management, and administrative 8.5%
All other industries 38.9%

Share of employed civilians 16 and over. Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table C24050.

Workforce

10,586
County labor force
Census ACS 2020-2024
9,700
Employed, civilian 16+
Census ACS 2020-2024
$44,958
Median household income
Census ACS 2020-2024

Western New Mexico University anchors the local labor pipeline, and JTIP's small-community tiers apply to Grant County hires: see the JTIP guide. Gross receipts tax rates vary by town within the county, from 6.3125% in the unincorporated remainder to 8.1125% in Silver City: check any address in the GRT tool.

Housing

$175,600
Median home value
Census ACS 2020-2024
$825
Median gross rent
Census ACS 2020-2024
75.8%
Owner-occupied
Census ACS 2020-2024

Sources and updates

  • U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Grant County, New Mexico (population B01003, median household income B19013, median home value B25077, median gross rent B25064, labor force B23025, tenure B25003, industry C24050). Median household income carries a margin of error of about $4,200; small-detail industry lines carry wider margins, so only aggregate shares are shown.
  • NM Taxation and Revenue Department, Gross Receipts and Compensating Tax Rate Schedule effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 (Grant County remainder 6.3125%, Silver City 8.1125%).

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