The federal Census Bureau’s latest surveys show the median income and the poverty level in Rio Arriba County have increased and the population has dropped since 2000.
The Bureau released socioeconomic and housing data Dec. 4 for midsized towns and counties — areas with populations between 20,000 and 64,900. This is the first time since the 2000 census that such data has been available for Rio Arriba County. (The city of Española, which has roughly 10,000 residents, is too small for accurate surveying of this kind.)
The information is based on survey responses received between 2005 and 2007. The survey information is collected continuously and will now be compiled into three-year blocks annually, according to the Bureau. These estimates differ from other surveys, such as the official 2010 census, that measure a “point in time” rather than a longer period.
“If, over the full period of time there have been major or consistent changes in certain population or housing characteristics for an area, a period estimate for that area could differ markedly from estimates based on a ‘point-in-time’ survey,” a Bureau release states.
One statistic shows a decline in the number of people working in agriculture, forestry and related fields. In 1990, about 4 percent of the County’s population (around 502 people) worked in forestry and agriculture, compared with 2.6 percent, or about 441 people, now.
Though the information is compiled differently from the 2000 Census, the three-year estimates provide a look at changes the County has undergone since 2000.
• The population has dropped from 41,190 to 40,700.
• The average family size has remained consistent at about 3.2.
• The number of people living in mobile homes has gone from 6,601 to 6,675; about 36 percent of the population now lives in mobile homes. According to the 1990 Census, only 4,340 people lived in mobile homes in the County.
• The median rent has gone from $394 to $538, while the per capita income has increased from $14,263 to $18,283. Approximately 24 percent of County residents are considered below the poverty level, compared to 20 percent in 2000; the official poverty rate in the United States in 2007 was 12.5 percent, and 18.4 percent of New Mexico residents had incomes below the poverty level according to the three-year estimates. The average poverty threshold in 2007 for a family of four was $21,203; for unrelated people the threshold was $10,590.
• Approximately 77 percent of people living in Rio Arriba County were born in New Mexico. That number is only 58 percent in Taos County and 48 percent in Santa Fe County.
• Sixty-three percent of people 5 years and older reported speaking a language other than English at home; 89 percent of that number speak Spanish, and only 17 percent reported that they did not speak English “very well.”
• Nearly 80 percent of County residents 25 years and older have graduated from high school, and 15 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher; those numbers are up from 66 percent and 10 percent in 1990. In Taos County, 86 percent have graduated from high school, and 28 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Santa Fe, those numbers are 85 percent and 39 percent, respectively.
• For employees 16 years and older, 2.6 percent work in agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting and mining; 12 percent work in construction; 22 percent work in educational services, health care and social assistance; and 10 percent work in public administration.
• Between 2005 and 2007, 73 percent of workers in the County drove to work alone — about the same as Santa Fe County. The average commute was 29 minutes, compared to 22 minutes in Santa Fe County. The average commute in Taos County is 17 minutes, and 71 percent drive to work alone.
For a look at the complete survey, visit www.census.gov/acs/www.
To learn about available Census jobs, visit www.census.gov/2010censusjobs/index.php or call (866) 861-2010. The Bureau is currently hiring temporary workers to update address lists and conduct surveys. Bilingual speakers are encouraged to apply.
Questionnaires for the 2010 Census will be mailed to every American household in March 2010.