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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Santa Fe County

Santa Fe County (Spanish: Condado de Santa Fe; meaning Holy faith in Spanish) is a county located in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 census, the population was 154,823, making it New Mexico's third-most populous county, after Bernalillo County and Doña Ana County. Its county seat is Santa Fe, the state capital.

Santa Fe County includes the Santa Fe metropolitan statistical area, which is also included in the Albuquerque–Santa Fe–Las Vegas combined statistical area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,911 square miles (4,950 km), of which 1,909 square miles (4,940 km) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km) (0.08%) is water. It is the fifth-smallest county in New Mexico by area. The highest point in the county is the summit of Santa Fe Baldy at 3,847 meters (12,621 ft). It is drained by the Rio Grande and several of its small tributaries.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
191014,770
192015,0301.8%
193019,56730.2%
194030,82657.5%
195038,15323.8%
196044,97017.9%
197053,75619.5%
198075,36040.2%
199098,92831.3%
2000129,29230.7%
2010144,17011.5%
2020154,8237.4%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, The population density was 68 people per square mile (26 people/km). There were 57,701 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile (12/km).

There were 52,482 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,207, and the median income for a family was $50,000. Males had a median income of $33,287 versus $27,780 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,594. About 9.4% of families and 12% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 144,170 people, 61,963 households, and 36,183 families residing in the county. The population density was 75.5 inhabitants per square mile (29.2/km). There were 71,267 housing units at an average density of 37.3 per square mile (14.4/km). The racial makeup of the county was 67.2% white, 3.1% American Indian, 1.2% Asian, 0.9% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 15.1% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 50.6% of the population.

The largest ancestry groups were:

  • 22.4% Mexican
  • 11.2% German
  • 11.1% Spanish
  • 10.0% English
  • 8.4% Irish
  • 3.6% French
  • 3.2% Italian
  • 2.5% Scottish
  • 2.3% American
  • 2.1% Scotch-Irish
  • 1.8% Polish
  • 1.3% Swedish
  • 1.3% Russian
  • 1.2% Dutch
  • 1.1% Norwegian

Of the 61,963 households, 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.1% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 41.6% were non-families, and 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age was 43.0 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $52,696 and the median income for a family was $64,041. Males had a median income of $41,703 versus $39,215 for females. The per capita income for the county was $32,188. About 10.0% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.4% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Santa Fe Baldy

The county is governed by a five-member county commission, whose members are elected from single-member districts (see map). Elections are partisan and all five seats are currently held by Democrats. County commissioners serve four-year terms, with term limits preventing them from serving more than two full terms.

Current commissioners are:

District Name Party First elected Term ends
District 1 Justin Greene Democratic 2022 2025
District 2 Anna Hansen Democratic 2017 2024
District 3 Camilla Bustamante Democratic 2022 2025
District 4 Anna Hamilton Democratic 2017 2024
District 5 Hank Hughes Democratic 2021 2024

As well, there are five elected officials taking on the roles of assessor, clerk, probate judge, sheriff, and treasurer:

Role Name Party First elected Term ends
Assessor Isaiah F. Romero Democratic 2023 2026
Clerk Katharine E. Clark Democratic 2021 2024
Probate Judge Cordilia Montoya Democratic 2020 2026
Sheriff Adan Mendoza Democratic 2019 2026
Treasurer Jennifer J. Manzanares Democratic 2021 2024


The New Mexico Corrections Department and the Penitentiary of New Mexico are located in an unincorporated area in the county.

Santa Fe County is a Democratic Party stronghold; the last Republican to carry the county in a presidential election was Richard Nixon in 1972, although Ronald Reagan nearly carried it in 1980. Since 1988, Democrats Michael Dukakis, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden all carried Santa Fe County by significant margins.

United States presidential election results for Santa Fe County, New Mexico
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 18,329 22.29% 62,530 76.05% 1,368 1.66%
2016 14,332 20.06% 50,793 71.10% 6,309 8.83%
2012 15,500 22.38% 50,872 73.47% 2,873 4.15%
2008 15,807 21.89% 55,567 76.94% 849 1.18%
2004 18,466 27.89% 47,074 71.11% 660 1.00%
2000 13,974 28.25% 32,017 64.72% 3,480 7.03%
1996 10,857 25.58% 26,349 62.08% 5,240 12.35%
1992 9,684 22.56% 27,189 63.35% 6,044 14.08%
1988 12,891 34.91% 23,581 63.86% 455 1.23%
1984 15,886 45.98% 18,262 52.85% 404 1.17%
1980 12,361 42.86% 12,658 43.89% 3,819 13.24%
1976 11,576 44.53% 14,127 54.34% 294 1.13%
1972 12,211 52.53% 10,761 46.29% 274 1.18%
1968 9,359 48.12% 9,544 49.07% 546 2.81%
1964 5,834 31.50% 12,616 68.12% 69 0.37%
1960 7,411 41.43% 10,385 58.05% 94 0.53%
1956 9,359 56.92% 6,997 42.56% 85 0.52%
1952 9,011 56.62% 6,786 42.64% 119 0.75%
1948 7,491 54.56% 6,172 44.95% 68 0.50%
1944 5,482 52.73% 4,915 47.27% 0 0.00%
1940 6,285 49.22% 6,482 50.76% 3 0.02%
1936 4,960 44.56% 6,145 55.20% 27 0.24%
1932 3,625 38.60% 5,739 61.12% 26 0.28%
1928 4,630 60.25% 3,051 39.70% 4 0.05%
1924 4,010 59.05% 2,602 38.32% 179 2.64%
1920 3,060 63.92% 1,700 35.51% 27 0.56%
1916 1,830 56.17% 1,406 43.16% 22 0.68%
1912 1,432 49.41% 1,012 34.92% 454 15.67%

Education

Nuestra Senora de Luz Church, Canoncito

There are currently four school districts in Santa Fe County:

State-operated school:

Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-affiliated schools:

Communities

Devils Throne, a landmark near Cerrillos
Stone arch and cross, El Santuario de Chimayó
Java Junction, Madrid

Cities

Town

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

See also

KML is from Wikidata