People flocked to Hobbs to work in the oilfields, some living in tents. Hobbs boasts two golf courses, the Harry McAdams State Park, and is the headquarters of two national soaring associations. Fall and winter bring a marked decline in rainfall and storms. Nights can be frosty but the days warm considerably.
Spring is dry and windy with rainfall varying greatly from year to year.
New Mexico Junior College is a public two-year and vocational college that also provides extension classes for adults. College of the Southwest is an independent four-year institution.