Has New Mexico made progress in reducing poverty in recent years? New data from the U.S. Census Bureau suggests so. The agency reports that the state’s poverty rate is declining at three times the national rate.
New Mexico’s official poverty rate dropped from 17.2 percent to 16 percent. This represents a 1.2 percentage point decline based on three-year estimates for 2023 to 2025. Meanwhile, the national figure fell by 0.4 percent, while 16 states saw their rates increase.
“This data confirms that our unprecedented investments in families are paying dividends,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement.
Lujan Grisham said more families are building wealth, while more children are getting the nutritious meals they need to thrive in school. She added more young New Mexicans can afford to stay in the state and make a life for themselves here.
The supplemental poverty measure factors in tax credits, food and housing assistance, and other government programs. Under this approach, New Mexico’s poverty rate fell from 16 percent to 13.2 percent.
Accounting for state programs, the poverty rate for New Mexicans under 18 reportedly declined by “nearly half,” from 20.9 percent to 10.9 percent. That figure is below the national average of 13.5 percent.
New Mexico moved from 50th to 48th among all states and D.C. in the official child poverty ranking, indicating an improvement. However, the data does not include the state’s universal child care program, which rolled out in November 2025.
Lujan Grisham highlighted efforts to make college more affordable, revise the tax code, and expand food and housing assistance for low-income families.
