Total enrollment
7,639
-211 (-3%) vs SY 2017-18
Otero County
New Mexico · Public K-12
New Mexico's Otero County runs 26 public K-12 schools between its districts, the largest being Alamogordo at 5,227 students. The level mix is 14 elementary, 5 middle, and 5 high schools.
7-year change in Otero County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
25
+1 (+4%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
32%
was 41%
% Hispanic
45%
was 43%
% Black
4%
was 5%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
26
7 districts
Enrollment
7,639
NCES CCD
Median income
$55,876
Below New Mexico avg
Free/reduced lunch
96.3%
Above New Mexico avg
Elementary
14
3,687 students
Middle
5
1,410 students
High
5
1,883 students
Combined / other
2
659 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
ALAMOGORDO
5,227 students · 7 districts in Otero County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Otero County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
22.7%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
15.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
8.6%
civilian labor
Median age
36
21.9% under 18
Test scores in Otero County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 16 schools ranked. New Mexico state average: 44.1%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- HOLLOMAN MIDDLE· 73.4%
- HOLLOMAN ELEMENTARY· 69.7%
- CLOUDCROFT MIDDLE· 67.4%
- CLOUDCROFT ELEMENTARY· 62.9%
- SIERRA ELEMENTARY· 58.2%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- NORTH ELEMENTARY· 27.5%
- DESERT STAR ELEMENTARY· 36.1%
- TULAROSA MIDDLE· 36.4%
- YUCCA ELEMENTARY· 36.4%
- TULAROSA INTERMEDIATE· 39.1%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALAMOGORDO HIGH | Alamogordo | High | 09-12 | 1,440 | · |
| Mescalero Apache School | Mescalero | Combined | KG-12 | 614 | · |
| HOLLOMAN ELEMENTARY | Holloman Afb | Elementary | PK-05 | 517 | · |
| CHAPARRAL MIDDLE | Alamogordo | Middle | 06-08 | 513 | · |
| MOUNTAIN VIEW MIDDLE | Alamogordo | Middle | 06-08 | 479 | · |
| DESERT STAR ELEMENTARY | Alamogordo | Elementary | KG-05 | 466 | · |
| YUCCA HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY | Chapparal | Elementary | KG-06 | 439 | · |
| SUNSET HILLS ELEMENTARY | Alamogordo | Elementary | KG-05 | 436 | · |
| TULAROSA HIGH | Tularosa | High | 09-12 | 303 | · |
| SIERRA ELEMENTARY | Alamogordo | Elementary | KG-05 | 284 | · |
| TULAROSA ELEMENTARY | Tularosa | Elementary | PK-02 | 230 | · |
| LA LUZ ELEMENTARY | La Luz | Elementary | KG-05 | 224 | · |
| BUENA VISTA ELEMENTARY | Alamogordo | Elementary | KG-05 | 222 | · |
| TULAROSA INTERMEDIATE | Tularosa | Elementary | 03-06 | 210 | · |
| CLOUDCROFT ELEMENTARY | Cloudcroft | Elementary | PK-05 | 186 | · |
| YUCCA ELEMENTARY | Alamogordo | Elementary | PK-05 | 179 | · |
| HOLLOMAN MIDDLE | Holloman Afb | Middle | 06-08 | 173 | · |
| NORTH ELEMENTARY | Alamogordo | Elementary | PK-05 | 159 | · |
| TULAROSA MIDDLE | Tularosa | Middle | 07-08 | 140 | · |
| CLOUDCROFT HIGH | Cloudcroft | High | 09-12 | 138 | · |
| STEPPING STONES PRESCHOOL | Alamogordo | Elementary | PK-PK | 114 | · |
| CLOUDCROFT MIDDLE | Cloudcroft | Middle | 06-08 | 105 | · |
| NM SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED | Alamogordo | Combined | PK-12 | 45 | · |
| HIGH ROLLS MOUNTAIN PARK ELEMENTARY | High Rolls | Elementary | KG-05 | 21 | · |
| OTERO COUNTY PRISON | Chaparral | High | 08-12 | 2 | · |
| ACADEMY DEL SOL ALT. | Alamogordo | High | 10-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Otero County
About Otero County
Otero County is a mid-sized New Mexico county of about 68,816 residents, home to 26 public schools and roughly 7,639 students.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $55,876, 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the federal-poverty share is near 15%.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Otero County covers 14 elementary schools (3,687 students), 5 middle schools (1,410), 5 high schools (1,883), and 2 combined or other schools.
ALAMOGORDO is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 5,227 students across Otero County.
Looking at the last 7 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 7,639 students, declined 3% from the 7,850 reported in SY 2017-18. The school count climbed from 24 to 25 across the same 7-year window. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 41% to 32% over the same window.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Otero County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
Otero County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data