Grant County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...

. At the 2020 census, the population was 28,185. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

is Silver City. The county was founded in 1868 and named for Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States. Grant County comprises the Silver City, NM, Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is part of the Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.1%) is water.

Adjacent counties

* Catron County - north * Sierra County - east * Luna County - southeast * Hidalgo County - south * Greenlee County, Arizona - west

National protected area

Gila National Forest The Gila National Forest is a protected national forest in New Mexico in the southwestern part of the United States established in 1905. It covers approximately of public land, making it the sixth largest National Forest in the continental U ...

(part)

Demographics

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 31,002 people, 12,146 households and 8,514 families living in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was . There were 14,066 housing units at an average density of . The racial make-up was 75.67%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 0.52%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 1.35% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 19.02% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 3.11% from two or more races. 48.79% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

or Latino of any race. There were 12,146 households, of which 31.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% were married couples living together, 12.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.01. 26.20% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 23.70% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64 and 16.50% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males. The

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways o ...

was $29,134 and the median family income was $34,231. Males had a median income of $31,126 and females $19,627. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

was $14,597. About 15.10% of families and 18.70% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 25.90% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 29,514 people, 12,586 households and 7,941 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 14,693 housing units at an average density of . The racial make-up was 84.9% white, 1.4% American Indian, 0.9% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 9.6% from other races and 2.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 48.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 11.9% were English, 11.8% were German, 10.4% were

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, and 2.9% were American. Of the 12,586 households, 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.9% were non-families, and 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age was 45.9 years. The median Household income was $36,591 and the median family income was $44,360. Males had a median income of $38,731 and females $27,161. The per capita income was $21,164. About 11.7% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the

, including 23.8% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census

At the 2020 census, there were 28,185 people and 11,496 households in the county. The

was . There were 14,584 housing units at an average density of . The racial make-up was 64.8% white, 2.1% American Indian, 1.1% Black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 11.7% from other races, and 19.5% of two or more races. 47.8% of the population are of Hispanic origin.

Communities

City

* Bayard

Towns

* Hurley * Silver City (county seat)

Village

* Santa Clara

Census-designated places

* Arenas Valley * Buckhorn * Casas Adobes *

Cliff In geography and geology, a cliff is an area of rock which has a general angle defined by the vertical, or nearly vertical. Cliffs are formed by the processes of weathering and erosion, with the effect of gravity. Cliffs are common on co ...

* Cobre * Faywood * Gila * Gila Hot Springs * Hachita *

Hanover Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-largest city in Northern Germany ...

* Lake Roberts * Lake Roberts Heights * Little Walnut Village * Mimbres * North Hurley * Pinos Altos * Redrock * Rosedale * San Lorenzo * Trout Valley * Tyrone * White Signal

Unincorporated communities

* Carpenter * Dwyer * Fort Bayard * Mangas Springs * Mimbres Valley * Mule Creek * Riverside * Separ * Sherman

Politics

Grant County is heavily Democratic. Since 1932, it has only voted for the Republican presidential nominee twice, both times by narrow margins.