Total population (1996 census): 135510
County seat: Las Cruces
Crop Statistics (1997 US Census of Agriculture)
| Cereals | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Maize=Corn | 8 | 575 | 88670 bu | |
| Sorghum for Grain or Seed | 3 | 235 | 21750 bu | |
| Wheat for Grain, Total | 9 | 926 | 69617 bu | |
| Oats | 8 | 238 | 15244 bu | |
| Forages | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Total Hay* | 445 | 19947 | 119761 tons, dry | |
| Alfalfa Hay | 427 | 15821 | 105309 tons, dry | |
| Small Grain Hay | 10 | 263 | 534 tons, dry | |
| Tame Hay | 17 | 251 | 509 tons, dry | |
| Grass Silage | 32 | 3612 | 40231 tons, grn | |
| Corn for Silage | 85 | 6564 | 133399 tons, grn | |
| Sorghum for Silage or Green Chop | 11 | 1062 | 16378 tons, grn | |
| Vegetables | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Head Cabbage | 20 | 550 | ||
| Cantaloupes | 5 | 8 | ||
| Garlic | 6 | 37 | ||
| Lettuce and Romaine | 40 | 1561 | ||
| Dry Onions | 56 | 3928 | ||
| Okra | 5 | 3 | ||
| Hot Peppers | 113 | 6588 | ||
| Spinach | 18 | 295 | ||
| Squash | 9 | 20 | ||
| Sweet Corn | 7 | 10 | ||
| Tomatoes | 8 | D | ||
| Watermelons | 4 | 14 | ||
| Other Vegetables | 3 | 1 | ||
| Fruits and Nuts | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Apples | 28 | 25 | 3346 trees | |
| Apricots | 7 | 1 | 33 trees | |
| Cherries, Total | 4 | 1 | D | |
| Sweet Cherries | 3 | D | 4 trees | |
| Grapes | 11 | 37 | 39676 vines | |
| Peaches | 15 | 8 | 432 trees | |
| Pears | 6 | 1 | 40 trees | |
| Plums and Prunes | 7 | 1 | 80 trees | |
| Peanuts for Nuts | 2 | D | D | |
| Pecans | 733 | 20989 | 890322 in shell | |
| Pistachios | 8 | 47 | 3925 in shell | |
| Blackberries | 4 | 7 | 5620 lbs | |
| Raspberries | 3 | 5 | 7500 lbs | |
| Other Crops | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Cotton | 176 | 22016 | 41099 bales | |
| Nursery and Greenhouse Crops, Cut Christmas Trees Harvested, Mushrooms, and Sod Grown for Sale | Farms | Sq. ft. under glass or other protection | Acres in the open | Sales ($1,000) |
| Nursery and Greenhouse Crops | 45 | 1287806 | 846 | 26976 |
| Nursery, Floriculture Vegetable and Flower Seed Crops | 36 | X | 846 | X |
| Floriculture Crops | 14 | D | 18 | 19144 |
| Bedding and Garden Plants | 10 | 55600 | 5 | 689 |
| Foliage Plants | 3 | D | D | D |
| Potted Flowering Plants | 6 | D | D | D |
| Bulbs, Corms, Rhizomes, and Tubers | 3 | D | D | 22 |
| Cut Christmas Trees Harvested | 3 | X | 14 | 79 |
| Nursery Crops | 21 | 169400 | 230 | 4325 |
| Greenhouse Vegetables | 3 | D | X | D |
| Other Nursery and Greenhouse Crops | 4lillo | D | 12 | 22 |
*Alfalfa, grass silage, green chops etc.
D=Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual farms.
X=Not applicable.