News

NMSU Movie - “Our Town.”

Movie Goers
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Part 1“Our Town” is a quiet story. “It attempts to find value for the smallest events in our daily life.” So, wrote author, Thornton N. Wilder.Although set in a 2,500 populated New Hampshire town, it could be “Anytown”, USA. Why now Acoma, Bluewater, Grants, or Milan?
Federal Reserve Economic Data shows Cibola County’s homeownership rate rising in recent estimates, while a separate FRED graph shows the share of burdened households has also increased since 2020. Together, the figures show a county where homeownership remains a major strength, but housing affordability continues to be an important economic issue. Source: U.S. Census Bureau via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Courtesy Photo

Federal Reserve Economic Data shows Cibola County’s homeownership rate rising in recent estimates, while a separate FRED graph shows the share of burdened households has also increased since 2020. Together, the figures show a county where homeownership remains a major strength, but housing affordability continues to be an important economic issue. Source: U.S. Census Bureau via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Courtesy Photo

Homeownership Remains One of Cibola County’s Economic Strengths

Diego Lopez, Editor
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – In a county where economic development conversations often focus on jobs, wages and business growth, housing remains one of the clearest measures of local stability.Cibola County continues to stand out as a largely homeowner county. According to U.S.
The Economy of Cibola County

The Economy of Cibola County

The Economy of Cibola County

Diego Lopez, Editor
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Economy Shows Strain, Stability and Room to Grow CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – Cibola County’s population has not changed dramatically in recent years, but the county’s economy is still moving.The most recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates place Cibola County’s population at 26,807 as of July 1, 2025.
Courtesy Photo

Courtesy Photo

Employment and Unemployment in Cibola County

Diego Lopez, Editor
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. - This chart shows two different ways of looking at Cibola County’s labor market.The solid employment line shows the estimated number of Cibola County residents who were employed each month. That number is measured on the left side of the chart.
A five-year comparison of net gross receipts tax distributions for Cibola County, Grants and Milan shows monthly fluctuations across local governments. The sharp Cibola County dip near March 2026 was tied to a one-time state tax adjustment involving amended returns and a medical deduction, which reduced the county’s March distribution by $241,817.93, according to correspondence from the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. Courtesy Photo

A five-year comparison of net gross receipts tax distributions for Cibola County, Grants and Milan shows monthly fluctuations across local governments. The sharp Cibola County dip near March 2026 was tied to a one-time state tax adjustment involving amended returns and a medical deduction, which reduced the county’s March distribution by $241,817.93, according to correspondence from the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. Courtesy Photo

One-month GRT Drop Tied to Tax Adjustment, County Says

Diego Lopez, Editor
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
GRANTS, N.M. – Readers looking at Cibola County’s gross receipts tax collections may notice an unusual drop in the county’s March 2026 distribution near the end of the five-year comparison chart.
Cibola County child poverty has fluctuated over more than two decades, but federal data show the rate has remained persistently high. The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis graph, using U.S. Census Bureau data, shows the estimated percentage of people ages 0–17 living in poverty in Cibola County from 2000 through 2023, with the rate rising above 40% in the early 2010s and remaining above 30% in most recent years shown. Shaded areas indicate U.S. recessions. Courtesy Photo

Cibola County child poverty has fluctuated over more than two decades, but federal data show the rate has remained persistently high. The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis graph, using U.S. Census Bureau data, shows the estimated percentage of people ages 0–17 living in poverty in Cibola County from 2000 through 2023, with the rate rising above 40% in the early 2010s and remaining above 30% in most recent years shown. Shaded areas indicate U.S. recessions. Courtesy Photo

41.6% of Children in Cibola County Live in Poverty

Diego Lopez, Editor
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – Childhood poverty is one of the clearest measures of economic strain in Cibola County, and one of the strongest warnings about the county’s future workforce, schools and family stability.