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.

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.

• Rio Arriba County - north
• Mora County - northeast
• San Miguel County - east
• Torrance County - south
• Bernalillo County - southwest
• Sandoval County - west
• Los Alamos County - northwest

• El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail (part)
• Pecos National Historical Park (part)
• Santa Fe National Forest (part)

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	7,713		—
1860	8,114		5.2%
1870	9,699		19.5%
1880	10,867		12.0%
1890	13,562		24.8%
1900	14,658		8.1%
1910	14,770		0.8%
1920	15,030		1.8%
1930	19,567		30.2%
1940	30,826		57.5%
1950	38,153		23.8%
1960	44,970		17.9%
1970	53,756		19.5%
1980	75,360		40.2%
1990	98,928		31.3%
2000	129,292		30.7%
2010	144,170		11.5%
2020	154,823		7.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010

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.

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:

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.

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, rivaling Taos County as the most Democratic county in New Mexico. The last Republican to carry the county in a presidential election was Richard Nixon in 1972, although Ronald Reagan nearly carried it in 1980. In 1984, Democrat Walter Mondale won Santa Fe County by a solid margin over the incumbent president Reagan. Since 1988, Democrats Michael Dukakis, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris all carried Santa Fe County by significant margins.

United States presidential election results for Santa Fe County, New Mexico

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	20,457	24.44%	61,405	73.35%	1,857	2.22%
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%

There are currently four school districts in Santa Fe County:

• Española Public Schools
• Moriarty Municipal Schools
• Pojoaque Valley Public Schools
• Santa Fe Public Schools

State-operated school:

• New Mexico School for the Deaf

Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-affiliated schools:

• Santa Fe Indian School (tribal)
• San Ildefonso Day School (BIE-operated) - San Ildefonso Pueblo
• Te Tsu Geh Oweenge Day School a.k.a. Tesuque Day School (tribal) - Tesuque Pueblo)

• Española
• Santa Fe (county seat)

• Edgewood

• Totavi
• Waldo

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Santa Fe County, New Mexico

• Santa Fe County Website
• Santa Fe County Tourism Website
• "Santa Fé, a N. central county of New Mexico" . The American Cyclopædia. 1879.

35°31′N 105°59′W / 35.51°N 105.98°W / 35.51; -105.98