Otero County, NM is ranked as the 99th most populated county in the state by BestPlaces. It has a population of 68,086 people and covers an area of 4,730 square miles. The county has a population density of 14 people per square mile, much lower than the national average of 87 people per square mile. Otero County ranks 165 out of the 3143 counties that make up the United States for overall livability. Factors that contribute to this rating include cost of living, crime rate, education level, housing prices and access to amenities. The cost of living in Otero County is 6% lower than the national average while the crime rate is 14% higher than that of the country overall. Education levels are higher here than in many other counties with 64% of adults having at least some college education or higher compared to 39% nationwide. Housing costs are 9% lower than in other areas but access to amenities such as grocery stores and restaurants is also slightly below average when compared to other parts of the country.
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