New Mexico
Click the links below to view state facts.
Population News Articles
Population Density
Historic & Projected Growth
Population by County
POPULATION DENSITY
People per square mile, 2010: 17.0
People per square mile, 2020: 17.5
HISTORIC & PROJECTED GROWTH 1790 TO 2040

Year |
Population |
1790 |
0 |
1800 |
0 |
1810 |
0 |
1820 |
0 |
1830 |
0 |
1840 |
0 |
1850 |
61,547 |
1860 |
93,516 |
1870 |
91,874 |
1880 |
119,565 |
1890 |
160,282 |
1900 |
195,310 |
1910 |
327,301 |
1920 |
360,350 |
1930 |
423,317 |
1940 |
531,818 |
1950 |
681,187 |
1960 |
951,023 |
1970 |
1,017,055 |
1980 |
1,303,302 |
1990 |
1,515,069 |
2000 |
1,819,046 |
2010 |
2,059,179 |
2020 |
2,117,522 |
2030 |
*2,132,823 |
2040 |
*2,127,318 |
Sources: Census figures from U.S. Bureau of the Census & *Estimates from Weldon Cooper Center, Demographics Research Group
(The Census Bureau and Weldon Cooper Center have not yet provided updated State projections to reflect 2020 census numbers.)
Population by County
Census 2020 Population |
Census 2010 Population |
Change from 2020 |
Percent Change |
|
NEW MEXICO |
2,117,522 |
2,059,179 |
58,343 |
2.83% |
Bernalillo County |
676,444 |
662,564 |
13,880 |
2.09% |
Catron County |
3,579 |
3,725 |
-146 |
-3.92% |
Chaves County |
65,157 |
65,645 |
-488 |
-0.74% |
Cibola County |
27,172 |
27,213 |
-41 |
-0.15% |
Colfax County |
12,387 |
13,750 |
-1,363 |
-9.91% |
Curry County |
48,430 |
48,376 |
54 |
0.11% |
DeBaca County |
1,698 |
2,022 |
-324 |
-16.02% |
Dona Ana County |
219,561 |
209,233 |
10,328 |
4.94% |
Eddy County |
62,314 |
53,829 |
8,485 |
15.76% |
Grant County |
28,185 |
29,514 |
-1,329 |
-4.50% |
Guadalupe County |
4,452 |
4,687 |
-235 |
-5.01% |
Harding County |
657 |
695 |
-38 |
-5.47% |
Hidalgo County |
4,178 |
4,894 |
-716 |
-14.63% |
Lea County |
74,455 |
64,727 |
9,728 |
15.03% |
Lincoln County |
20,269 |
20,497 |
-228 |
-1.11% |
Los Alamos County |
19,419 |
17,950 |
1,469 |
8.18% |
Luna County |
25,427 |
25,095 |
332 |
1.32% |
McKinley County |
72,902 |
71,492 |
1,410 |
1.97% |
Mora County |
4,189 |
4,881 |
-692 |
-14.18% |
Otero County |
67,839 |
63,797 |
4,042 |
6.34% |
Quay County |
8,746 |
9,041 |
-295 |
-3.26% |
Rio Arriba County |
40,363 |
40,246 |
117 |
0.29% |
Roosevelt County |
19,191 |
19,846 |
-655 |
-3.30% |
Sandoval County |
148,834 |
131,561 |
17,273 |
13.13% |
San Juan County |
121,661 |
130,044 |
-8,383 |
-6.45% |
San Miguel County |
27,201 |
29,393 |
-2,192 |
-7.46% |
Santa Fe County |
154,823 |
144,170 |
10,653 |
7.39% |
Sierra County |
11,576 |
11,988 |
-412 |
-3.44% |
Socorro County |
16,595 |
17,866 |
-1,271 |
-7.11% |
Taos County |
34,489 |
32,937 |
1,552 |
4.71% |
Torrance County |
15,045 |
16,383 |
-1,338 |
-8.17% |
Union County |
4,079 |
4,549 |
-470 |
-10.33% |
Valencia County |
76,205 |
76,569 |
-364 |
-0.48% |
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of the Census
New Mexico Population News Articles
New Mexico signs the Immigrant Safety Act – Feb 19, 2026
Water authority in New Mexico fined $189k for drinking water violations – Feb 12, 2026
Record Volumes of Oil and Gas Spills Polluted New Mexico in 2025, New Report Finds – Feb 4, 2026
New Census data shows drop in New Mexico’s population. Here’s why – Feb 2, 2026
New Mexico launches the US Southwest’s First Clean Fuel Market – Jan 27, 2026
New report clarifies groundwater crisis in New Mexico – Jan 27, 2026
Can New Mexico’s centuries-old acequias survive the worst drought in 1,200 years? – Sep 26, 2025
New Mexico methane rules slash emissions by half compared to Texas – Reductions generate $152M for New Mexico – Sep 22, 2025
Dozens demand top NM environment official step down over produced water policy – Sep 19, 2025
CTFP: More Factory Farms, More Pollution in New Mexico – Sep 18, 2025
Housing summit speaker: NM home shortage could be as high as 90,000 units – Sep 18, 2025
New Mexico’s Governor Declares Drought Emergency. Sort Of. – June 11, 2025
Advocates: Population swells in New Mexico ICE detention center in Torrance County – June 9, 2025
State report finds homeless population likely far higher than yearly count – June 9, 2025
New Mexico’s oil reliance forces schools to contend with industry’s pollution – June 3, 2025
State Environment Department Files Lawsuit Against Camino Real Regional Utility Authority – May 28, 2025
New Mexico sees population growth for second year in a row, census data shows – May 21, 2025
New Mexico governor, advocates call for increased funding on water in 2025 session – Dec 4, 2024
New Mexico appeals court upholds rule aimed at curbing ozone pollution – Nov 28, 2024
Lawsuit filed over arsenic levels in water from Southern New Mexico utility – Nov 25, 2024
New Mexico agency seeks $50M boost to insurance program as finding private insurance gets harder – Nov 22, 2024
ICE expansion could cause numbers to swell in New Mexico detention centers – Nov 17, 2024
Three US states call on environmental agency to regulate PFAS air emissions – Sept 16, 2024
In arid New Mexico, rural towns eye treated oil wastewater as a solution to drought – Sept 12, 2024
Study: New Mexico could have 25% less water in rivers and streams by 2050 – Aug 30, 2024
New Mexico’s water supply at risk: How the loss of El Vado Dam changes everything – Aug 29, 2024
In this tiny New Mexico town, the air quality is worse than in Downtown L.A. – Aug 21, 2024
New Mexico governor salutes Biden’s ‘balanced approach’ to immigration – June 23, 2024
‘Multiple disasters all in one day’: New Mexico’s brutal week of fire and flood – June 22, 2024
Court moves forward with oil and gas pollution lawsuit against New Mexico officials – June 17, 2024
Is New Mexico on track to meet its environmental goals? – June 7, 2024
Study finds industrial air pollution contributes to New Mexico’s low birthweight – June 3, 2024
Do Manmade Noise, Light Harm Songbirds in New Mexico’s Oil Fields? – October 22, 2023
Health of 34,000 students could be impacted by oil and gas wells near their schools – October 18, 2023
Let’s talk about city growth and development – October 17, 2023
Reports: Migrant, smuggler shot dead near border wall – October 10, 2023
Discover the 5 Largest Cities in New Mexico (By Population, Total Area, and Economic Impact) – October 4, 2023
The 6 Fast-Growing Counties in New Mexico Are Exploding in Growth – September 24, 2023
Gov. Lujan Grisham announces state will enact advanced Clean Car Rules, Clean Truck Rules – July 3, 2023
Eye on New Mexico: Homelessness – July 2, 2023
New Mexico Fines Texas Oil Company Over $40 Million For Egregious Air Quality & Oil & Gas Act Violations – July 2, 2023
A special jet is monitoring New Mexico’s oil and gas emissions – June 29, 2023
N.M. DELEGATION DELIVERS $26.2 MILLION TO MODERNIZE BUS FLEETS, IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSIT – June 28, 2023
NM officials to seek millions for a 50-year water plan that hasn’t yet been revealed – December 15, 2022
Restoring Watersheds, and Hope, After New Mexico’s Record-Breaking Wildfires – December 15, 2022
Marten population unknown, but habitat loss under threat – December 15, 2022
Northern N.M. waterways granted protections – July 13, 2022
Budget issues mean Environment Department can’t do all inspections – July 5, 2022
How New Mexico is learning to live with the megadrought – June 16, 2022
New Mexico announced settlement in Gold King Mine spill – June 16, 2022
New Mexico Promises Safer Passage for Wildlife—and Drivers – March 10, 2022
N.M. cruises ahead on electric car charging stations – March 7, 2022
Are New Mexico bridges safe? – March 2, 2022
