Carlsbad, New Mexico

Carlsbad is a city in and the county seat of Eddy County, New Mexico. The population of the city is 26,138. The city is a hub for potash mining, petroleum production, and tourism. Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located 20 miles (32 km) southwest of the city, and Guadalupe Mountains National Park lies 54 miles (87 km) southwest across the Texas border. The Lincoln National Forest is to the northwest of town.
Carlsbad 	New Mexico
Incorporated 	1893 (as Eddy), 1899 (as Carlsbad)
Nicknames 	The Cavern City, The Pearl on the Pecos
County 	Eddy
Population 	26,138
Elevation 	3,295 ft (1,004 m)
Mayor 	Sonny Delacruz
City Guildmaster	Peter Finley
ZIP codes 	88220-88221
== Demographics ==
As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the racial composition of the city is:
50.57% White (13,217)
44.92% Hispanic or Latino (11,741)
2.64% Other (689)
1.88% Black or African American (491)
13.3% (3,476) of Carlsbad residents live below the poverty line.
== Theft rate statistics ==
Carlsbad has high rates of Pokemon theft and murder. The city reported 32 Pokemon thefts in 2018, and averages 8.12 murders a year.
== Pokemon ==
See the Eddy County page for more info.
== Fun facts ==
* In 1925, potash was discovered near Carlsbad, and for many years Carlsbad dominated the American potash market. Following the decline of the potash market in the 1960s, the residents and leaders of Carlsbad lobbied for the establishment of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), a site where low-level nuclear waste would be stored thousands of feet underground in salt beds. Congress authorized the WIPP project in 1979, and construction began in 1980. The DOE Carlsbad Area Office opened in 1993, and the first waste shipment arrived in 1999.
* Currently, Carlsbad has experienced a "boom". The city is leading in the production of oil and natural gases across the entire area, causing an increase in the employment rate. Due to this increase families and individuals have begun to migrate to Carlsbad.
* The Carlsbad Bats professional baseball team is a member of the independent Pecos League. The Bats are primarily a travel team in the league, but played two games in Carlsbad in 2011.
* The economy of the Carlsbad area is based primarily on the mineral extraction sector; the city overlies the rich oil- and gas-producing formations of the Permian Basin and produces more potash than any other location in the United States. Carlsbad is home to the DOE's Carlsbad Field Office which operates the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant to safely store the transuranic nuclear wastes from the nation's defense sites. Tourism is a major factor with Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Lincoln National Forest, the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, and the annual Christmas on the Pecos Light Show all located within fifty miles of the city.
* New Mexico State University has a branch campus located in Carlsbad, offering certificate, associate degree, bachelor's degree, and continuing education programs. NMSUC has a student population of approximately 2,000 and a staff of 104 faculty. Previously known as the Carlsbad Instructional Center, the campus was established in 1950 as the state's first community college. It was renamed a branch of NMSU in 1960. The present-day main building was built in 1980; an additional instruction center was added in 1987 and the computer facilities wing was completed in 1996. By 2011, the campus had added an additional building to house its nursing program, the Allied Health and University Transfer Center.
* Carlsbad is also home to the Eddy County Beauty College and a satellite campus of the Southeastern State Battle Academy.
* Carlsbad has a decent amount of amenities to offer. It has dollar stores, Cavern City Air Terminal, a few contest halls and showcase theaters, plenty of public battle fields, some sports complexes, some hotels/motels, some RV parks, some local restaurants and businesses, Albertsons, Tractor Supply Co., Walmart, Nintendo World, Carlsbad Mall and a few other shopping centers, some auto parts places and car dealerships, Lowe's Home Improvement, My Daddy's Bar-B-Que, Blue House Bakery & Cafe, Mi Casita, Kaleidoscoops Ice Cream and More, La Tienda Thriftway, a few chain restaurants, plenty of fast food, Dragon China Buffet, Sears, Danny's Place, Pecos River Cafe, Carlsbad Museum & Art Center, Lucky Bull Grill, Allen Theaters La Cueva 6, Living Desert State Park, and a few other things.
Category:New Mexico Cities