RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 33 SHOWN OF 33

Most sparsely populated, New Mexico counties · 2000

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

01Harding County, NMNM6170+0%

02Catron County, NMNM3,8271+0%

03De Baca County, NMNM1,6471+0%

04Union County, NMNM3,8441+0%

05Guadalupe County, NMNM4,3432+0%

06Hidalgo County, NMNM3,9292+0%

07Mora County, NMNM4,0513+0%

08Socorro County, NMNM15,8383+0%

09Sierra County, NMNM11,3953+0%

10Quay County, NMNM8,4544+0%

11Colfax County, NMNM12,1844+0%

12Lincoln County, NMNM19,8444+0%

13Torrance County, NMNM16,1005+0%

14Cibola County, NMNM26,8076+0%

15San Miguel County, NMNM26,2606+0%

16Rio Arriba County, NMNM39,8327+0%

17Roosevelt County, NMNM18,6157+0%

18Grant County, NMNM27,2528+0%

19Luna County, NMNM25,4078+0%

20Otero County, NMNM70,3689+0%

21Chaves County, NMNM63,36410+0%

22Eddy County, NMNM62,50912+0%

23Lea County, NMNM74,74913+0%

24Taos County, NMNM34,56414+0%

25McKinley County, NMNM68,11914+0%

26San Juan County, NMNM120,34021+0%

27Sandoval County, NMNM159,56524+0%

28Curry County, NMNM46,65532+0%

29Doña Ana County, NMNM229,09146+0%

30Valencia County, NMNM82,01362+0%

31Santa Fe County, NMNM156,90768+0%

32Los Alamos County, NMNM19,407168+0%

33Bernalillo County, NMNM667,601479+0%

SHOWING 1–33 OF 33

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