Carlsbad is a city in Eddy County, New Mexico, home to about 31,746 people across 32 square miles. Its ZIP code is 88220.
Homes sold for a median of $198 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Carlsbad; also La Huerta and Happy Valley
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Carlsbad. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Carlsbad’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | El Paso International Airport (ELP)132 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Cavern City Air Terminal (CNM)5 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | El Paso, TX134 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | San Antonio, TX395 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Carlsbad; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Carlsbad had 32,238 residents in the 2020 census, up 26% since 2000.
It’s the 10th largest of 494 towns in New Mexico by population.
Eddy County grew from 3,229 residents in 1900 to 62,314 in 2020.
Eddy County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 97°F in summer, and winter lows average 30°F. About 12.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 3 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Carlsbad, NM weather station (5 miles away).
24,234 jobs at 1,551 businesses in Eddy County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
285 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Carlsbad.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 25 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 39 |
| Dentists | 15 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 73 |
| Mental health providers | 90 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 32 |
| Optometrists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 9 |
| Pharmacies | 10 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (35 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies (4 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (4 nearby)
Counts are within about 4 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1888.
Colleges and universities
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Carlsbad. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood Education CenterCarlsbad | Pre-K–K | 207 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| Hillcrest PreschoolCarlsbad | Pre-K | 316 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| Ocotillo ElementaryCarlsbad | Pre-K–5 | 621 | Public | 3.2 mi |
| Cottonwood ElementaryCarlsbad | K–5 | 684 | Public | 0.5 mi |
| Desert Willow ElementaryCarlsbad | K–5 | 667 | Public | 1.7 mi |
| Jefferson MontessoriCarlsbad | K–12 | 215 | Charter | 1.3 mi |
| Monterrey ElementaryCarlsbad | K–5 | 366 | Public | 2.6 mi |
| Sunset ElementaryCarlsbad | K–5 | 438 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Carlsbad Enrichment CenterCarlsbad | 1–12 | 170 | Alternative Education | 1.0 mi |
| Edison ElementaryCarlsbad | 1–5 | — | Public | 1.0 mi |
| Carlsbad Intermediate School - Pr Leyva CampusCarlsbad | 6–8 | 908 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Carlsbad Sixth Grade Academy - Alta Vista CampusCarlsbad | 6–8 | 740 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Carlsbad Early College HighCarlsbad | 9–12 | 200 | Public | 2.6 mi |
| Carlsbad HighCarlsbad | 9–12 | 1,685 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faith Christian AcademyCarlsbad | 1–12 | 63 | Baptist | 1.1 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with La Huerta, Happy Valley, Livingston Wheeler and Whites City.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.