Lea County, New Mexico
13 ZIP codes · Avg score 69/100 · Grade C · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Lea County: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Lea County: 13 ZIP codes, mid-range safety grade.
How Lea County Compares
How Lea County Compares
Lea County scores 4 points above the New Mexico state average (65/100) and 4 points below the national average (73/100).
Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData Last verified:
ZIP Code Risk Map
Water Quality Map: Lea County, New Mexico
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Key Risk Factors
Health risk index: 12.4 (asthma 9.6%, diabetes 12%)
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,389, driven primarily by flood
72.6% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
Violation History (2022–2024)
→ Stable trendEPA violation counts by year across Lea County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.
Peak year: 2024 with 8 violations. Past 5 years: 9 total (9 health-based).
Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.
County Health Indicators vs National Average
Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Infrastructure Overview
Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINS infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,389
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
27,854 housing units in Lea County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).
Water Safety Affordability
How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Lea County
Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Lea County, representing a small fraction of property value.
Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.
Health Outcomes vs National Average
CDC PLACES data for Lea County residents
Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Water systems serving Lea County
3 community water systems serving Lea County.
- C
- B
- C
Systems with the most violations in Lea County
2 water systems with recorded EPA violations.
- B
- C
All ZIP Codes in Lea County
13 ZIP codes tracked in Lea County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 88260 | Lovington | 74 | B | 19 (9 health) | $174K |
| 2 | 88242 | Hobbs | 67 | C | 0 | $219K |
| 3 | 88240 | Hobbs | 65 | C | 3 (2 health) | $177K |
| 4 | 88114 | Crossroads | — | — | — | |
| 5 | 88213 | Caprock | — | — | — | |
| 6 | 88231 | Eunice | — | — | $152K | |
| 7 | 88241 | Hobbs | — | — | — | |
| 8 | 88244 | Hobbs | — | — | — | |
| 9 | 88252 | Jal | — | — | $105K | |
| 10 | 88262 | Mcdonald | — | — | — | |
| 11 | 88264 | Maljamar | — | — | — | |
| 12 | 88265 | Monument | — | — | $266K | |
| 13 | 88267 | Tatum | — | — | $104K |
Recommended Buyer Guides for Lea County
Eight risk categories drive the selection - PFAS exceedance, lead above EPA action level, pre-1978 housing share, EPA Radon Zone 1, flood-top-risk, wildfire-top-risk, multi-contaminant load, and a baseline fallback - and each category maps to a specific buyer-guide track that surfaces when the county data hits its threshold for that hazard signal.
- Best Lead Paint Test Kits — 72.6% of homes built before 1978
- Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap
- Best Sump Pumps — Flood is the top compound risk factor
- Best Mold Test Kits — Flood-driven moisture and mold risk
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Lea County, New Mexico
Overview
Lea County in New Mexico covers 13 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of C (69/100) across 3 scored records.
2 of 3 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. 11 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
← Back to New Mexico Home Safety Profile
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- PFAS screening: EPA UCMR 5
- Radon zones: EPA Map of Radon Zones
- Air quality: EPA AirData annual AQI
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.