Set in southeastern New Mexico, about 20 miles from Hobbs and the Texas border, Lovington offers a country lifestyle where the community gathers for Friday night football games. “There’s a hometown feel,” says Ruby Lee Norton, a broker with Norton Realty who grew up in Lovington. “We don’t have very many big-box stores, but we have locally owned restaurants and banks, where when you pull up the teller greets you with a smile and knows your name, and the waiters know your regular order.”
Located in the Permian Basin, the most productive oil field in the United States, many of Lovington’s over 11,000 residents work in the oil industry. “We have a lot of job security because we’re oil country,” Norton says. Most of the city’s growth occurred in the 1950s, when many new oil discoveries were made. The Lovington area also has a long history of agriculture and cattle ranching, and the Nor-Lea Hospital District has made the city a healthcare hub.
Set in southeastern New Mexico, about 20 miles from Hobbs and the Texas border, Lovington offers a country lifestyle where the community gathers for Friday night football games.
Lovington is located in the Permian Basin, the most productive oil field in the United States.
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Ranch-style homes, some on acreage
Lovington's median home sale price is around $160,000, compared to Hobbs' $265,000. The city’s midcentury ranch-style homes sit close together along flat, gridded streets. New construction is starting to pop up along the city’s outskirts, where ranch-style and manufactured homes sit on farms and ranches of up to 40 acres. Undeveloped lots of about 6,500 square feet can cost about $40,000. Homes here stay on the market for around 47 days, on par with the national average.
New construction in Lovington is starting to pop up along the city’s outskirts, where ranch-style and manufactured homes sit on farms and ranches of up to 40 acres.
Lovington's midcentury ranch-style homes sit close together along flat, gridded streets.
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Lizard races and fishing in Chaparral Park
Chaparral Park is the largest and most popular of the city’s eight parks. The park hosts events throughout the year, like Party in the Park on July 4. “Of course we do fireworks, but we also have the lizard race,” Norton says. “It’s a thing here — we even have a mascot that dresses up like a lizard.” In addition to the “World’s Greatest Lizard Race,” the event features kids’ activities, live music and a fishing derby at the park’s lake. To the east, the semi-private Lovington Country Club offers 18 holes of golf. The city is adding more green space to its downtown Main Street, including the over 2-acre Lea County Veterans Memorial Park. Lovington has four seasons, and summer temperatures regularly top 90 degrees. On hot days, locals can head to the indoor pool at the Lovington Wellness Center.
Chaparral Park is the largest and most popular of the Lovington's eight parks.
Lovington is adding more green space to its downtown Main Street, including the over 2-acre Lea County Veterans Memorial Park.
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Local stores and restaurants on Main Street
Main Street is home to Lovington’s walkable downtown. Here, residents can browse locally owned stores and dine at longstanding restaurants. The Lea Theatre, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, shows first-run movies, and the Lea County Museum preserves the area’s history. The weekly Lovington Farmers Market sells local produce on the lawn of the Lea County Courthouse. More shopping and restaurants are along Avenue D. For national retailers, locals make the 21-mile trip to Hobbs.
Main Street is home to Lovington’s walkable shops and restaurants downtown.
The Lea Theatre in downtown Lovington is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, shows first-run movies.
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Friday nights at Wildcat Stadium
Area kids can attend Lovington Municipal Schools, which earn a C-plus from Niche. The Lovington High Wildcats football team plays in the school’s 5000-seat stadium. “We bleed blue around here,” Norton says. “We are very football oriented. Our Friday nights are surrounded by stadium lights, and the community rallies around our Wildcats.”
Area kids can attend Lovington Municipal Schools, including Lovington High School, which earn a C-plus from Niche.
The Lovington High Wildcats football team plays in the school’s 5000-seat stadium.
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A 21-mile trip to Hobbs
Avenue D and Main Street are the main thoroughfares, and Main Street leads 21 miles to Hobbs. With no public transportation or bike lanes — and inconsistent sidewalks — residents here rely on their cars to get around. The Nor-Lea Hospital Main Campus is in the city’s north. The Lea County Regional Airport, located about 25 miles away, has flights to Denver and Houston, and Midland International Air and Space Port has more flights 113 miles away. Crime data for Lovington is not readily available.
Wildfire risk and a Special Flood Hazard Area
Lovington is at high risk for wildfire, but Norton says she hasn’t experienced any wildfires in her 40 years of living in the city. The Lovington Fire Department has two stations and is equipped to fight structure and wildland fires.
Properties near Main Street and in the south are in a Special Flood Hazard Area, a FEMA-designated zone of high flood risk. Homeowners here will need special permits for construction projects.
Due to the areas hot summers and dry climate, Lovington is at high risk for wildfires.
Properties near Main Street and in the south are in a Special Flood Hazard Area, a FEMA-designated zone of high flood risk.
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Written By
Annie Franklin
Photography Contributed By
Nate Myers
Video By
Aiyshanti Green
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Amanda Mashaw,
an experienced agent in this area.
On average, homes in Lovington, NM sell after 38 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Lovington, NM over the last 12 months is $220,000, up 19% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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