RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 33 SHOWN OF 33

Most densely populated, New Mexico counties · 1990

New Mexico counties ranked by residents per square mile (2023). This list covers the 33 counties in New Mexico that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most sparsely populated Best broadband access Worst broadband access

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Bernalillo County, NMNM667,601414−14%

02Los Alamos County, NMNM19,407166−1%

03Santa Fe County, NMNM156,90752−23%

04Valencia County, NMNM82,01342−32%

05Doña Ana County, NMNM229,09136−22%

06Curry County, NMNM46,65530−6%

07Sandoval County, NMNM159,56517−30%

08San Juan County, NMNM120,34017−20%

09Lea County, NMNM74,74913+0%

10Eddy County, NMNM62,50912−6%

11McKinley County, NMNM68,11911−19%

12Taos County, NMNM34,56410−23%

13Chaves County, NMNM63,36410−6%

14Otero County, NMNM70,3688−17%

15Grant County, NMNM27,2527−11%

16Roosevelt County, NMNM18,6157−7%

17Luna County, NMNM25,4076−28%

18Rio Arriba County, NMNM39,8326−17%

19San Miguel County, NMNM26,2605−15%

20Cibola County, NMNM26,8075−7%

21Quay County, NMNM8,4544+7%

22Colfax County, NMNM12,1843−9%

23Torrance County, NMNM16,1003−39%

24Lincoln County, NMNM19,8443−37%

25Sierra County, NMNM11,3952−25%

26Socorro County, NMNM15,8382−18%

27Mora County, NMNM4,0512−18%

28Hidalgo County, NMNM3,9292+0%

29Guadalupe County, NMNM4,3431−11%

30Union County, NMNM3,8441−1%

31De Baca County, NMNM1,6471+1%

32Harding County, NMNM6170+22%

33Catron County, NMNM3,8270−28%

SHOWING 1–33 OF 33

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UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES