Where My Taxes Go

Property taxNew MexicoCensus ACS 2020–2024

Otero County, New Mexico property tax rate

Homeowners in Otero County pay a median $902 a year in property tax, an effective rate of 0.55% of home value.The median home is worth $162,700. That rate is 21% lower than the New Mexico rate (0.70%) and 41% lower than the US rate (0.94%). It is the 16th highest of 33 counties in New Mexico.

Effective rate
0.55%
#16 of 33 in NM · #2,442 of 3,134 in the US
Median tax paid
$902
± $73 · US $3,119
Median home value
$162,700
US $332,700
Paid by homeowners
$17.8 million
a year, 16,400 owner-occupied homes

Compared with the state and the US

Otero County's rate is 41% lower than the US rate

Effective property tax rate (median tax ÷ median home value). Grey ticks: the other 32 counties in New Mexico.

0.0%0.5%1.0%1.5%2.0%New Mexico 0.70%US 0.94%Otero County 0.55%0.0%0.5%1.0%1.5%2.0%New Mexico 0.70%US 0.94%Otero County 0.55%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates.

Estimate your property tax in Otero County

Home value × the county's effective rate. Change the value to see your estimate.

Estimated property tax a year

$902

$75 a month at 0.55%, the effective rate for Otero County.

At the New Mexico rate (0.70%)$1,135
At the US rate (0.94%)$1,525

An estimate from Census averages, not your bill. Your tax depends on your assessed value, local levies and any exemptions (homestead, senior, veteran) you claim.

Neighbouring counties

El Paso County has the highest rate next to Otero County

Effective property tax rate of every county that borders Otero County

CountyEffective rate
El Paso County, TX median $3,6602.03%
Hudspeth County, TX median $8011.25%
Culberson County, TX median $7690.97%
Doña Ana County median $1,4800.67%
Chaves County median $9350.60%
Otero County median $9020.55%
Lincoln County median $1,2460.53%
Sierra County median $7890.52%
Eddy County median $1,0950.52%

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates; county adjacency file 2024.

What homeowners pay

5% of Otero County homeowners pay $3,000 or more a year (US 49%)

Owner-occupied homes by yearly real estate taxes paid, with and without a mortgage combined

Yearly property tax paidShare of homeowners
No real estate taxes paid11%
Less than $80040%
$800 to $1,49924%
$1,500 to $1,9999%
$2,000 to $2,99911%
$3,000 or more5%

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table B25102.

Median tax with a mortgage: $1,131; without a mortgage: $718. Homes with a mortgage tend to be newer, bought more recently and worth more.

Five years earlier

The median tax bill rose 36% between the 2015–2019 and 2020–2024 surveys while median home value rose 45%, so the effective rate went down from 0.59% to 0.55%.

2015–20192020–2024Change
Median property tax paid$661$902+36%
Median home value$112,400$162,700+45%
Effective rate0.59%0.55%-0.03 pts

Where to check your own bill

Your actual bill is set locally: the county assessor values your home, and the county, city, school district and other local districts each set a rate on that value. Exemptions such as a homestead exemption can cut the bill. Check your assessment and bill with the Otero County assessor or tax collector.

State rules and exemptions: New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, property tax.

Questions and answers

What is the property tax rate in Otero County?
The effective rate is 0.55%: homeowners paid a median $902 a year on a median home value of $162,700 (Census ACS 2020-2024). The New Mexico rate is 0.70% and the US rate 0.94%.
How much is property tax on a $300,000 house in Otero County?
About $1,663 a year ($139 a month) at the county's effective rate of 0.55%. Your bill depends on your assessed value, local levies and exemptions.
Is property tax in Otero County high?
Otero County's rate is 21% lower than the New Mexico rate and 41% lower than the US rate. It ranks 16th of 33 counties in New Mexico and 2,442 of 3,134 US counties (1 = highest).
Why might my bill be different?
The rate here is an average across homeowners. Bills depend on when the home was last assessed, the levies of your city and school district, and exemptions or caps you qualify for.

Related

Sources and notes

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates (released December 2025), tables B25103 (median real estate taxes paid by mortgage status), B25077 (median value), B25102 (mortgage status by real estate taxes paid), B25090 and B25082 (aggregate taxes paid and aggregate value) and B25003 (tenure). Owner-occupied homes. Public domain.
  2. Five years earlier: ACS 2015–2019 5-year estimates, tables B25103 and B25077. Dollars are nominal.
  3. Effective rate = median real estate taxes paid ÷ median home value. Taxes are what homeowners report paying for the year; values are what they say the home would sell for. Where the Census Bureau caps the median tax at “$10,000+”, the rate is total taxes paid ÷ total home value instead. ± figures are the Census 90% margins of error.
  4. Page built 2026-10-10.