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Cost to drill a well in New Mexico: $10,400–$42,700 by county

A drilled, finished water well in New Mexico typically costs $10,400–$42,700, with a midpoint of $23,700. Depth sets most of that price. Domestic wells here have a median depth of 240 ft across 10,469 completion reports filed 2016–2025, priced at New Mexico driller rates.1,2,3,4,5,6

Key figures for New Mexico

ItemFigure
Finished well, typical range (midpoint $23,700) $10,400–$42,7001,2,3,4,5,6
Drilling and casing only (no pump, tank, or hookup) $7,900–$34,6001,2,3,4,5
Median well depth (10,469 reports) 240 ft1
Middle half of wells 180 ft to 360 ft1
Drilling rate (New Mexico rates) $30–$65/ft2
Median casing depth 190 ft1
Median reported yield 24 gpm1

Estimate a well in New Mexico

Typical total: $10,400–$42,700, midpoint $23,700.1,2,3,4,5,6

Depths from 10,469 domestic well reports in New Mexico, 2016–2025: 180 ft (25th percentile), 240 ft (median), 360 ft (75th percentile).

Low uses the 25th percentile depth at low rates; high uses the 75th percentile at high rates.
Line itemLowMidHigh
Drilling (per foot of depth) (240 ft × $48/ft)$5,400$11,400$23,4002
Casing, installed (191 ft × $28/ft)$1,800$5,300$8,6003
Rig mobilization and setup ($550–$2,500)$600$1,500$2,5004
Well permit ($125–$125)$100$100$1005
Pump, wire, and drop pipe, installed ($850–$2,500)$900$1,700$2,5002
Pressure tank and switch, installed ($500–$1,800)$500$1,200$1,8002
Trench, water line, and electrical to the house ($1,000–$3,500)$1,000$2,300$3,5002
Water quality test ($50–$250)$100$200$3006
Total$10,400$23,700$42,700

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Well depth by county in New Mexico

Total depth of domestic wells by county, New Mexico. Bar shows the middle half of wells; tick marks the median.
County Reports Median depth (ft) Middle half (ft) 0 to 640 ft
Lea 1,086 210 180–230
Valencia 1,065 220 200–250
Bernalillo 1,005 300 160–550
Sandoval 863 300 210–460
Taos 667 220 160–320
Doña Ana 638 180 160–240
Santa Fe 537 390 260–540
Otero 434 260 180–360
Chaves 424 220 200–260
Rio Arriba 422 160 100–280
Luna 366 300 280–400
Torrance 313 320 280–380
Lincoln 300 300 200–420
Eddy 272 220 160–280
Grant 265 330 220–470
San Miguel 224 300 160–420
Catron 187 310 140–510
Mora 172 200 130–300
San Juan 166 80 40–100
Cibola 154 460 300–640
Sierra 139 180 100–270
Curry 136 400 340–420
Socorro 136 210 180–360
Colfax 133 240 170–300
McKinley 107 500 380–620
Roosevelt 96 120 110–120
Hidalgo 45 260 200–330
Union 38 290 170–380
Quay 32 200 140–260
Guadalupe* 17 300 150–450
De Baca* 15 140 110–210
Harding* 15 300 270–390

* 3 counties have fewer than 30 reports. Estimates there use the statewide figures.

Median depth runs from 80 ft in San Juan County to 500 ft in McKinley County. At New Mexico rates that difference is worth about $30,200 at the midpoint estimate. 3 of 32 counties have fewer than 30 reports; the calculator uses the statewide figure for those.

Sources1,2,3,4,5,6

Where the money goes on a New Mexico well

Drilling is billed by the foot at $30–$65/ft, so the hole alone runs $5,400–$23,400 at the depths above. Casing, the steel or PVC pipe that lines the upper borehole, adds $1,800–$8,600 at $10–$45/ft. Rig setup is a flat $600–$2,500.

The pump, pressure tank, and trench to the house add $2,400–$7,800 on top of the hole. A quote that looks low next to the range above often leaves those three out, so ask for it itemized.

Sources2,3,4,5,6

Permits and driller licensing in New Mexico

Water wells in New Mexico fall under New Mexico Office of the State Engineer. A new domestic well needs a 72-12-1.1 domestic well permit from the State Engineer, filed on the agency's form with a $125 fee. Courts and city or county ordinances can add tighter limits on where and how much you may drill. Anyone drilling a water well needs a well drillers license from the State Engineer; the only exception is a driven well put in without a drill rig with casing 2 3/8 inches or less across. The driller must file a complete well record, including a lithologic log, with the State Engineer and the permit holder no later than 30 days after the drilling is done. The permit or filing fee runs $100.

Sources7,5

Groundwater and well construction in New Mexico

Well cap Submersible pump Casing to about 190 ft Total depth about 240 ft Soil and loose rock Open hole in rock
Cross-section of a 240 ft well with casing to 190 ft, the New Mexico median

Central New Mexico draws on the Rio Grande aquifer system, unconsolidated gravel, sand, silt and clay filling the rift basins, while the eastern plains sit over the High Plains aquifer. The Roswell Basin in the southeast pairs a carbonate-rock aquifer with an overlying alluvial one, and the northwest relies on consolidated rock of the Colorado Plateaus.

A well at the New Mexico median reaches 240 ft with casing to about 190 ft. New Mexico's liquid waste rule keeps a septic tank 50 feet and a disposal field or seepage pit 100 feet from a private drinking water well.

The New Mexico Environment Department lists naturally occurring arsenic, uranium and fluoride along with nitrate and bacteria, and recommends testing yearly for arsenic, nitrate and bacteria and every 5 years for uranium.

Sources8,1,9,10

New Mexico compared with neighboring states

StateMedian depthTypical finished well
New Mexico240 ft$10,400–$42,700
Arizona410 ft$15,500–$71,200
Colorado340 ft$10,300–$60,000
Oklahoma180 ft$10,400–$30,000
Texas250 ft$9,200–$51,100
Utahno records$6,800–$42,500

Sources11,12,3,4,13,6,14,15,16,17,2,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27

Common questions

How deep is a typical well in New Mexico?

Half of the 10,469 domestic wells reported in New Mexico from 2016–2025 are between 180 ft and 360 ft deep, and the median is 240 ft. Your county can sit well above or below that, so check the county table on this page before you compare quotes.

How much does it cost per foot to drill a well in New Mexico?

Drilling alone runs $30–$65/ft on the rates we compiled. Spread across a whole finished well, including casing, pump, tank, and hookup, the midpoint estimate works out to about $99/ft at a depth of 240 ft. Per-foot quotes rarely include the pump.

Do you need a permit to drill a well in New Mexico?

A new domestic well needs a 72-12-1.1 domestic well permit from the State Engineer, filed on the agency's form with a $125 fee. Courts and city or county ordinances can add tighter limits on where and how much you may drill. Expect a fee of $100. The driller usually files the paperwork, but the permit is tied to your property, so ask for a copy.

How much do a well pump and pressure tank add in New Mexico?

An installed submersible pump with wire and drop pipe runs $900–$2,500, and a pressure tank with its switch runs $500–$1,800. Together they are often the line items missing from a drilling quote, so a quote for the hole alone will look $2,900 cheaper than a finished well.

Related pages

For every state side by side and the national range, see our national cost table.

Sources

  1. Points of Diversion (wells) , New Mexico Office of the State Engineer. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  2. What Are the Cost Factors of Drilling a Santa Fe Water Well? , Boylan Water Well Service (Santa Fe, NM). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-06-25. Drilling incl. PVC casing $28-$65/ft; submersible pump $850-$2,500; casing and grouting $1,500-$4,000; pressure tank and controls $500-$1,800; electrical hookup and trenching $1,000-$3,500; permits and lab testing $300-$1,000; turn-key $12,000-$30,000+.
  3. Cost to Drill a Water Well in Northern California , Weeks Drilling & Pump Co. (Sebastopol, CA). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-04-30. Drilling $35-$130/ft; steel casing $20-$45/ft; pump and pressure tank $3,500-$9,000; permitting $500-$2,500.
  4. D-203(5) Statewide Drilling Services, Exhibit D Price Schedule (Thein Well Co., contract 226711) , Minnesota Office of State Procurement. Accessed November 8, 2026. 2023 state-contract unit rates from a licensed MN driller: 6-in borehole $30-$31/ft (mud rotary/auger), $75/ft air rotary in rock; 6-in casing $28/ft (code) to $48/ft (black steel); mobilization $1,000/project; 34-gal pressure tank installed $1,000, 62-gal $1,450; submersible pump 3/4-1 hp $1,250-$1,350 each; drop pipe $7/ft; pitless and lateral $2,000; trench $20/LF. Agency-buyer rates, not retail quotes.
  5. 19.27.5 NMAC Water Rights Filing Fees, section 19.27.5.8 , New Mexico Office of the State Engineer (via NM State Records Center and Archives). Accessed November 8, 2026. Effective 2006-08-15. $125 for an application for a 72-12-1.1 domestic well permit; $75 to repair or deepen.
  6. DSHS Austin Laboratory Fee Schedule, effective 2026-09-01 , Texas Department of State Health Services. Accessed November 8, 2026. Potable Water (coliform) MZZ0441A $18.39; Nitrate-N EZZ0048A $30.00; Routine Water Mineral Group $155; All Metals $165; VOCs $150.
  7. 19.27.4 NMAC, Well Driller Licensing; Construction, Repair and Plugging of Wells , New Mexico Office of the State Engineer (State Records Center and Archives). Accessed November 9, 2026.
  8. Ground Water Atlas of the United States, HA 730-C (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah) , U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed November 9, 2026. Page blocked direct fetch; aquifer-system names confirmed via USGS search excerpts.
  9. 20.7.3 NMAC, Liquid Waste Disposal and Treatment (Table 302.1 setbacks) , New Mexico Environment Department (State Records Center and Archives). Accessed November 9, 2026.
  10. Guidance for Owners of Private Wells , New Mexico Environment Department. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  11. Well Registry (Wells 55) , Arizona Department of Water Resources. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  12. Understanding the Cost of Installing a Well in Mohave County , A-1 Arthur's Well Service (Kingman, AZ). Accessed November 8, 2026. Undated. Drilling $30-$65/ft; submersible pump $1,500-$3,000+; pressure tank $500-$1,200+; electrical and controls $500-$2,000; plumbing and trenching $1,000-$5,000+; total $10,000-$30,000+.
  13. A.R.S. 45-596 Notice of intention to drill , Arizona State Legislature. Accessed November 8, 2026. Filing fee $150; $100 for a well outside an AMA or INA used solely for domestic purposes with a pump of 35 gpm or less. Confirmed by A.A.C. R12-15-104 (effective 2023-10-13, https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/arizona/Ariz-Admin-Code-SS-R12-15-104) and ADWR form DWR 55-40.
  14. DWR Well Application Permit , Colorado Division of Water Resources. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  15. Water Well Installation: Complete Guide, Cost and Tips for Success , Stevens Drilling (La Vernia, TX). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2025-10-27. Drilling $25-$65/ft; pumps $500-$2,000; pressure tank $300-$1,500; permit/licensing $100-$750; total $7,500-$17,000+.
  16. C.R.S. 37-92-602 Exemptions; presumptions; legislative declaration (current through Fall 2025) , Colorado Revised Statutes via colorado.public.law. Accessed November 8, 2026. Fee of $100 for a new exempt household well permit application; $60 for a replacement/paragraph (c) application.
  17. How Much Does a Well Pressure Tank Cost? , Mid Atlantic Water LLC (water-system supplier, nationwide). Accessed November 8, 2026. Updated 2026-10-14; prices live as of 2026-09. Tank replaced by plumber $800-$1,800 all-in (20-44 gal); labor $200-$500; submersible pump job $1,000-$2,500; tank plus pump $2,500-$5,000+. Supplier, not an installer.
  18. Water Testing , El Paso County Public Health Laboratory (CO). Accessed November 8, 2026. 2026. Total coliform/E. coli P/A $23.00; nitrate-N $30.00; real estate package $80.00.
  19. Reported Groundwater Well Locations of Oklahoma , Oklahoma Water Resources Board. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  20. Default casing share of well depth , Cost to Drill a Well. Accessed November 9, 2026. Median of state casing_p50 / depth_p50 across states that report casing. Used only where no local casing median exists.
  21. Pricing , B & L Water Well (Enid, OK). Accessed November 8, 2026. 2025 site. Drilling only with 5-inch standard casing: 50 ft or less $2,200 in Enid, $2,500-$3,000 outside city limits; more than 50 ft about $50/ft; 6-inch wells $50/ft; complete well with pump, 20-gal pressure tank and hydrant $4,500; constant-pressure package $6,000.
  22. Well Driller / Pump Installer Licensing fact sheet , Oklahoma Water Resources Board. Accessed November 8, 2026. 2026. No permit or fee for a domestic well; licensed driller files a well completion report within 60 days; Intent-to-Drill ($250, https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/OKWRB/bulletins/34db823) applies to non-domestic wells only; domestic exemption reaffirmed 2025-08-06 (https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/OKWRB/bulletins/3ebc58e).
  23. Lab Services Fee Schedule FY27 (SELSD-SD-008-R4), effective 2026-07-01 , Oklahoma DEQ State Environmental Laboratory Services Division. Accessed November 8, 2026. Total coliform and E. coli P/A $33; nitrate $38; nitrate/nitrite $38; Private Well Annual panel (coliform, nitrate/nitrite, pH, conductivity) $75; Real Estate panel $104; Private Well Diagnostics $175.
  24. Submitted Driller's Reports Database , Texas Water Development Board. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  25. Fee Schedule, effective 2025-10-01 , Blanco-Pedernales Groundwater Conservation District (TX). Accessed November 8, 2026. Registered well $500; permitted well $3,000; non-refundable.
  26. National depth distribution, median of state percentiles , Cost to Drill a Well. Accessed November 9, 2026. Median across states with records of each state's 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile depth.
  27. Compilation of fetched state and county well permit fees (research/rates/NOTES.md, section permit) , costtodrillawell.com research. Accessed November 8, 2026. Internal compilation used only for the national permit fallback. Component sources: ok-owrb-well-driller-fact-sheet ($0), fl-nwfwmd-well-fees through fl-manatee-water-wells-2026 ($35-$265), ny-dutchess-dbch-fees ($45), wi-dnr-well-notification ($50.50), ga-pierce-well-permit-2024 ($70), idaho-code-42-235 ($75), crs-37-92-602 ($100), az-ars-45-596 ($100-$150), nmac-19-27-5 ($125), wa-rcw-18-104-055 ($200), nc-wayne-private-wells through nc-gaston-eh-fees ($225-$450), mi-grand-traverse-fees-2026 and mi-delta-menominee-fees-2025 ($240-$334), mt-dnrc-form-613-2025 ($250-$400), pa-chester-county-health-fees ($300), mn-stat-103i-208 ($325), oh-logan-fees-2024 through oh-summit-fees-2025 ($350-$594), or-hb2808-2025 ($490), blanco-pedernales-gcd-fees-2025 ($500), ca-calaveras-fees-2026 ($693), ny-nyc-well-water-permit ($1,090 outlier).

How these figures are built: methodology. Updated November 2026.