Hobbs City Overview

Hobbs is a modest city in New Mexico founded in 1907. It is located northwest of Odessa and east of Carlsbad in the center of a largely undeveloped area of the state. It is a city that owes its survival to the oil industry, yet at the same time manages to be much more than that.

Known as one of the more affordable places to live in New Mexico, there are around 36,000 residents spread across almost 19 square miles. Known primarily for oil, Hobbs has managed to grow rapidly, yet maintain that small town charm.

Accommodation is a mixture of apartments and small family homes. Much of the rental stock is for oil housing or general accommodation and offers good value for money. The median price to buy is only around $113,200. Considering the media household income (2017) is around $56,905, that offers decent value.

History of Hobbs

Hobbs was founded in 1907 by James Hobbs who built the first homestead. It was followed by a post office in 1910 and more homesteaders. Nothing much happened until 1927 when the Midwest Oil Company discovered oil close to town. The company built wells and a refinery and things expanded massively from there.

Hobbs Army Air Base arrived in 1942 which further boosted the population. The base was then bought by the city after World War 2 and turned into Hobbs Industrial Air Park.

Hobbs has mainly survived through the oil industry, the refinery and being a shipping and trading town for the oil industry. Cattle and ranching have also helped, as has the potash mines 40 miles west of town. The modern city also counts concrete, machinery, metal products and chemical manufacturing among its other major employers.

Things to see in Hobbs include the Western Heritage Museum – Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame, Nana’s Collectibles & Antique Mall, Zia Park Casino and the Hobbs Center for the Arts.