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The vast majority of Anthony's residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, with roots primarily in Mexico. Many families arrived decades ago to work the valley's farms and never left. Spanish is spoken at home, in shops, and in schools, alongside English.

In recent years the town has also welcomed immigrants from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, drawn by farm work and a lower cost of living than in El Paso. The young demographic is visible in crowded schools and soccer teams at the municipal parks.

Religious life is strong, with Roman Catholic tradition dominating the calendar. Small evangelical churches are growing among newcomers. Community life revolves around extended family, the parish, and Mexican-rooted cultural events.

Anthony has the residential profile of a small border town: streets lined with single-story brick or stucco houses, decent-sized lots, many backyards with a pickup truck out front. Mobile homes make up a significant share of the housing stock, especially in the eastern neighborhoods and along Highway 478.

The old downtown concentrates homes closer to shops and churches. Areas like Westway and neighborhoods north toward La Mesa have newer houses and larger lots. Those looking to rent usually find opportunities through local ads and word of mouth, since online listings poorly cover towns of this size.

Buying a modest house is feasible for anyone with credit and stable income, with prices so low they almost shock by comparison with other American regions. The biggest constraint is the limited formal market supply and the need for a personal vehicle.

Anthony's children attend Gadsden Independent School District schools, with Gadsden High School standing out as a large institution that gathers students from across the region. The schools serve a mostly Hispanic population and offer robust bilingual programs.

For higher education, the closest and most traditional option is New Mexico State University (NMSU) in Las Cruces, a public institution with strong programs in agriculture, engineering, and the sciences. The university accepts international students and offers support for immigrants.

On the Texas side, the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is less than an hour's drive away and offers hundreds of programs at one of the most Hispanic universities in the United States. Doña Ana Community College and El Paso Community College cover technical training.

Anthony is a small and mostly quiet town, with violent crime rates that are low compared with those of larger cities in the region. The municipal police work alongside the Doña Ana County Sheriff, and Border Patrol presence is visible and constant due to the proximity of the international border.

Central residential neighborhoods are considered safe for walking during the day. At night, isolated areas along Highway 478 and rural stretches around the farms call for more attention, especially for those driving alone or in older vehicles.

Opportunistic theft from cars and small break-ins happen as they do in any town. The basic recommendation is to lock everything, leave no valuables in plain sight, and avoid deserted routes after dark.

Anthony's culture is deeply intertwined with that of northern Mexico. The calendar is marked by Catholic celebrations, Day of the Dead, Cinco de Mayo, Mexican Independence in September, and Our Lady of Guadalupe processions in December. Quinceañeras bring entire families together.

The cuisine is typical of the Rio Grande Valley: enchiladas with Hatch green chile, chile colorado, gorditas, tamales at Christmastime, menudo on Sundays. Small restaurants along Highway 478 serve home cooking at low prices.

Anthony calls itself the Leap Year Capital of the World and hosts a special festival in leap years, when residents born on February 29 come in from all over the country. Norteña, banda, and cumbia music fills local parties and dances.

Anthony has one of the highest proportions of foreign-born residents in New Mexico, almost all of them originally from Mexico. Families from Chihuahua, Sonora, and Durango form the historic core, with a presence consolidated since the mid-20th century on the Rio Grande Valley's farms.

Over the past two decades, the arrival of Central Americans, primarily from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, has reshaped the agricultural workforce. Brazilians, Colombians, and Venezuelans appear in much smaller numbers, more often tied to services and construction in El Paso.

Support for immigrants comes from regional organizations, Catholic churches, and community centers that offer legal aid, English classes, and food assistance. The consular network is based in El Paso and Albuquerque.