Hobbs is in Lea County, and in the Southeast New Mexico region. You can find Hobbs southeast of Roswell between Carlsbad and the Texas state line along US Highway 180. The population estimate for July 1, 1998 was 27,156, a decrease of 1,965 since 1990.
Hobbs began as a agricultural site, gaining dominance when oil was discovered in June of 1928. Large numbers of people came to the Hobbs area after the oil strike. Today the town is considered the Oil Capital of New Mexico. The founding of Hobbs: 1907