Farm Census

Socorro County, New Mexico

Farms, crops and livestock in the 2022 Census of Agriculture

453 farms1,345,407 acres in farms$57.9 million in farm sales

Socorro County's average farm size had the largest increase from 2017 to 2022 among the 1,674 counties with at least 500 farms in 2017.

Its largest product group with a published figure, horses and mules, makes up 6.7% of farm sales, against 0.5% across New Mexico.

Withheld groups: 82.8%Withheld groups82.8%Horses and mules: 6.7%Horses and mules6.7%Hay and other crops: 6.0%6.0%Nursery and greenhouse: 2.5%2.5%Vegetables and melons: 1.7%1.7%Sheep and goats: 0.2%Poultry and eggs: 0.1%Hogs and pigs: under 0.1%Other animals: under 0.1%Withheld groups: 82.8%Withheld groups82.8%Horses and mules: 6.7%6.7%Hay and other crops: 6.0%6.0%Nursery and greenhouse: 2.5%2.5%Vegetables and melons: 1.7%1.7%Sheep and goats: 0.2%Poultry and eggs: 0.1%Hogs and pigs: under 0.1%Other animals: under 0.1%
Farm sales by product group, 2022, sized by value. Withheld to protect individual farms: grains and oilseeds, fruit and nuts, cattle and calves and milk.
Sales by product group
Product groupSalesRank in state
Horses, ponies, mules, burros and donkeys$3.9 million1st of 28
Hay and other crops$3.5 million12th of 25
Nursery, greenhouse and floriculture crops$1.4 million6th of 15
Vegetables, melons and potatoes$983,00011th of 20
Sheep, goats, wool, mohair and goat milk$90,00014th of 22
Poultry and eggs$34,00010th of 16
Hogs and pigs$18,0005th of 16
Other animals and animal products$16,00015th of 20

What the fields held

Socorro County harvested 11,717 acres of cropland in 2022, seventh of 22 counties in New Mexico. Hay and haylage covered acreage equal to 73% of that.

CropAcresShare of US
Hay and haylage8,507under 0.1%
Vegetables151under 0.1%
Orchard land45under 0.1%
of which grapes32under 0.1%
of which apples1under 0.1%
of which pecans3under 0.1%

Withheld to protect individual farms: corn for grain, corn for silage, grain sorghum, oats and potatoes.

How much of the county is farmland

Share of the county land in farms31.6%

Socorro County ranks 24th of 30 counties in New Mexico on this measure.

  • 58,756 acres of cropland, 4% of farmland
  • 1,321,961 acres of pastureland, 98% of farmland
  • 19,164 acres of woodland, 1% of farmland
  • 10,212 acres irrigated

Farm sizes

The typical farm in Socorro County is smaller than the national median of 72 acres, at 47 acres. The average, pulled up by the largest operations, is 2,970 acres, 15th-largest of 30 in New Mexico. The most common size class is 10–49 acres, with 31.8% of farms. Farms of 1,000 acres or more are 21.4% of the total.

1–920%10–4932%50–17916%180–4998%500–9994%1,000–1,9992%2,000+20%
Socorro County US · farms by size

Barns, pens and pastures

AnimalsHeadShare of US
Horses and ponies1,4090.06%
Cattle and calves35,328under 0.1%
Goats524under 0.1%
Sheep and lambs732under 0.1%
Laying hens888under 0.1%
Turkeys41under 0.1%
Hogs and pigs26under 0.1%

Withheld: beef cows and milk cows.

Who farms here

Decisions on Socorro County's 453 farms are made by 802 producers. Their average age is 60.6, the same as the New Mexico average. Women are 36.3% of them.

Under 356%35–449%45–5412%55–6429%65–7427%75+16%
Socorro County US · producers by age

Five years earlier

Measure2017Change to 2022
Farms658−31.2%
Land in farms, acres912,476+47.4%
Average farm size, acres1,387+100%
Farm products sold (current dollars)$65.1 million−11.1%
Horses and ponies, head1,633−13.7%
Cattle and calves, head42,521−16.9%
Goats, head687−23.7%
Hay and haylage, acres10,141−16.1%

Nearest rivals

Counties with a similar sales mix

Socorro County accounts for 2.0% of farm sales in New Mexico and 2.2% of the farms in New Mexico. Rank New Mexico counties for horses and ponies.

Source: USDA NASS Census of Agriculture. How to read these pages.