Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in New Mexico

Counties in New Mexico by population density

Bernalillo County had the highest population density of 33 counties in 2021, at 224.5 inhabitants per km². Harding County had the lowest, at 0.1 inhabitants per km². The median was 2.7 inhabitants per km² and the figure for New Mexico was 6.7 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest224.5Bernalillo County
Lowest0.1Harding County
Median2.733 counties
New Mexico6.7History

All counties, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Bernalillo CountyBernalillo County: 224.5 inhabitants per km²224.5Los Alamos CountyLos Alamos County: 68.6 inhabitants per km²68.6Santa Fe CountySanta Fe County: 31.4 inhabitants per km²31.4Valencia CountyValencia County: 28 inhabitants per km²28Doña Ana CountyDoña Ana County: 22.5 inhabitants per km²22.5Sandoval CountySandoval County: 15.8 inhabitants per km²15.8Curry CountyCurry County: 13.2 inhabitants per km²13.2San Juan CountySan Juan County: 8.5 inhabitants per km²8.5Lea CountyLea County: 6.4 inhabitants per km²6.4Taos CountyTaos County: 6.1 inhabitants per km²6.1Eddy CountyEddy County: 5.6 inhabitants per km²5.6McKinley CountyMcKinley County: 5.1 inhabitants per km²5.1Chaves CountyChaves County: 4.1 inhabitants per km²4.1Otero CountyOtero County: 4 inhabitants per km²4Luna CountyLuna County: 3.3 inhabitants per km²3.3Roosevelt CountyRoosevelt County: 3 inhabitants per km²3Grant CountyGrant County: 2.7 inhabitants per km²2.7Rio Arriba CountyRio Arriba County: 2.6 inhabitants per km²2.6Cibola CountyCibola County: 2.3 inhabitants per km²2.3San Miguel CountySan Miguel County: 2.2 inhabitants per km²2.2Torrance CountyTorrance County: 1.8 inhabitants per km²1.8Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 1.6 inhabitants per km²1.6Colfax CountyColfax County: 1.3 inhabitants per km²1.3Quay CountyQuay County: 1.2 inhabitants per km²1.2Sierra CountySierra County: 1.1 inhabitants per km²1.1Socorro CountySocorro County: 0.9 inhabitants per km²0.9Mora CountyMora County: 0.8 inhabitants per km²0.8Guadalupe CountyGuadalupe County: 0.6 inhabitants per km²0.6Hidalgo CountyHidalgo County: 0.5 inhabitants per km²0.5Union CountyUnion County: 0.4 inhabitants per km²0.4De Baca CountyDe Baca County: 0.3 inhabitants per km²0.3Catron CountyCatron County: 0.2 inhabitants per km²0.2Harding CountyHarding County: 0.1 inhabitants per km²0.1
inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021
inhabitants per km²		Change on 2020
1Bernalillo County224.5-0.2%
2Los Alamos County68.6-0.1%
3Santa Fe County31.4+0.3%
4Valencia County28+1.3%
5Doña Ana County22.5+0.8%
6Sandoval County15.8+1.5%
7Curry County13.2-0.9%
8San Juan County8.5-0.3%
9Lea County6.4-2.1%
10Taos County6.1+0.7%
11Eddy County5.6-2.4%
12McKinley County5.1-1.6%
13Chaves County4.1-0.7%
14Otero County4+1%
15Luna County3.30%
16Roosevelt County3-0.8%
17Grant County2.7-1.1%
18Rio Arriba County2.6-0.2%
19Cibola County2.3+0.3%
20San Miguel County2.2+0.1%
21Torrance County1.8+1.7%
22Lincoln County1.6+0.4%
23Colfax County1.30%
24Quay County1.2-1%
25Sierra County1.1-0.4%
26Socorro County0.9-1.5%
27Mora County0.80%
28Guadalupe County0.6-0.4%
29Hidalgo County0.5-1.7%
30Union County0.4+0.7%
31De Baca County0.30%
32Catron County0.2+3%
33Harding County0.1-2.5%

Other periods

About this ranking

Resident population divided by land area in km². World Bank figures use mid-year population and land area excluding inland water.

United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July divided by land area (water excluded) from the latest Census Gazetteer files. US tables often give people per square mile; multiply persons per km² by 2.59 to compare.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

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Questions

Which county has the highest population density?

Bernalillo County, with 224.5 inhabitants per km² in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Harding County, with 0.1 inhabitants per km² in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Population density: other rankings

Counties in New Mexico: more rankings