Eddy County has seen steady growth over the past decade, gaining more than 8,400 people since 2010 according to 2020 U.S. Census data for the area released Thursday.

According to U.S. Census data, Eddy County grew 15.8%, the highest growth rate in the state, with a total population of 62,314 in 2020. Eddy County’s population in 2010 was 53,829 according to the US census.

The city of Carlsbad has seen the largest growth in the county, 5,900 of Eddy County’s 8,400 new people reside in the city.

Carlsbad’s population has grown from 26,251 in 2010 to 32,238 in 2020, according to census data.

Neighboring Lea County experienced similar growth at a 15% rate, from 64,726 people in the 2010 census to 74,455 in the 2020 census.

Counties and states may begin to redistribute based on recent census data, which may lead to changes in the districts represented by lawmakers.

According to the US Census Bureau.

More than a third of Eddy County residents are under the age of 18 and 7.3% are under the age of 5.

Artesia’s population has also grown from 11,513 at the 2010 census to 12,875 at the 2020 census.

The Villages of Hope and Love have seen their population decline according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s city and town population totals. Hope went from 105 people in the 2010 census to 104 people in the 2020 census.

Loving’s population grew from 1,380 in the 2010 census to 1,423 in 2015 before dropping to 1,372 in the 2020 census.

The median household income in Eddy County is $65,328, and 11.2 percent of county residents live below the national poverty line, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

New Mexico’s population grew by 2.8% from 2,059,179 people in 2010 to 2,117,522 in 2020. Neighboring states such as Texas and Colorado grew by more than 14% according to the US Census Office.

Claudia Silva is a reporter for UNM’s Local Reporting Fellowship. She can be reached at [email protected], by phone at (575) 628-5506 or on Twitter @thewatchpup.