RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 33 SHOWN OF 33

Most sparsely populated, New Mexico counties · 1990

New Mexico counties with the fewest 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 densely populated Best broadband access Worst broadband access

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Catron County, NMNM3,8270−28%

02Harding County, NMNM6170+22%

03De Baca County, NMNM1,6471+1%

04Union County, NMNM3,8441−1%

05Guadalupe County, NMNM4,3431−11%

06Hidalgo County, NMNM3,9292+0%

07Mora County, NMNM4,0512−18%

08Socorro County, NMNM15,8382−18%

09Sierra County, NMNM11,3952−25%

10Lincoln County, NMNM19,8443−37%

11Torrance County, NMNM16,1003−39%

12Colfax County, NMNM12,1843−9%

13Quay County, NMNM8,4544+7%

14Cibola County, NMNM26,8075−7%

15San Miguel County, NMNM26,2605−15%

16Rio Arriba County, NMNM39,8326−17%

17Luna County, NMNM25,4076−28%

18Roosevelt County, NMNM18,6157−7%

19Grant County, NMNM27,2527−11%

20Otero County, NMNM70,3688−17%

21Chaves County, NMNM63,36410−6%

22Taos County, NMNM34,56410−23%

23McKinley County, NMNM68,11911−19%

24Eddy County, NMNM62,50912−6%

25Lea County, NMNM74,74913+0%

26San Juan County, NMNM120,34017−20%

27Sandoval County, NMNM159,56517−30%

28Curry County, NMNM46,65530−6%

29Doña Ana County, NMNM229,09136−22%

30Valencia County, NMNM82,01342−32%

31Santa Fe County, NMNM156,90752−23%

32Los Alamos County, NMNM19,407166−1%

33Bernalillo County, NMNM667,601414−14%

SHOWING 1–33 OF 33

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