Doña Ana County, New Mexico Eviction Risk: Low

Doña Ana County carries an average eviction-risk score of 3.8/10, placing it in the Moderate tier across its 3 tracked cities. With scores ranging from 3.7 to 3.8, the intra-county spread is narrow, meaning operating conditions are fairly consistent throughout the county, though not uniform. Ranked 4th of 34 counties in New Mexico, only 3 counties in the state are riskier, putting Doña Ana County firmly in the higher-risk third statewide. For landlords evaluating markets in New Mexico, that ranking warrants close attention before committing capital.

The county's average rent of $694 and a rent burden averaging 28.2% of income point to a tenant base that, while not overwhelmed, carries meaningful financial stress. With an average poverty rate of 26.3% across these communities, the population skews lower-income, which historically correlates with higher eviction frequency and collection risk. Investors should price that context into their underwriting rather than relying on the Moderate label alone.

The cities inside Doña Ana County

The two highest-risk cities, San Ysidro and San Ysidro, each score 3.8/10. San Ysidro is the most populous of the three at 2,118 residents, while Salem has a population of 916. Their tied scores reflect comparably elevated tenant-side risk factors, so neither offers a clear edge over the other on that dimension alone.

Hatch, with a population of 1,588, scores 3.7/10, making it the least risky city in the county by a small but real margin. That difference is a reminder that risk is hyper-local: even across three small communities in the same county, the numbers diverge. Landlords holding or evaluating units in any of these cities should pull city-level scores rather than relying on the county average.

State-level laws that apply here

New Mexico eviction law is governed by the Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act, NMSA § 47-8. On non-payment of rent, landlords must serve a 3-day notice before filing. A lease-violation cure notice requires 7 days, and a no-cause end-of-term notice requires 30 days. New Mexico does not require just cause for eviction, and there is no state rent cap. Court filing fees run $132 to $200, sheriff lockout fees add $50 to $175, and attorney fees commonly range from $500 to $3,000. An uncontested case typically resolves in 21 to 45 days; contested cases can stretch to 45 to 120 days. Landlords should review the full New Mexico eviction process and budget carefully for the New Mexico eviction costs before assuming a straightforward outcome. Entry notice of 24 hours is required under NMSA § 47-8.

With a renter share of just 21.7% across these communities and a poverty rate of 26.3%, the rental pool in Doña Ana County is small relative to the total population but economically vulnerable; the city-level scores in the grid above give the most precise read on where that risk concentrates.