Rio Arriba County () is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,363. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

is Tierra Amarilla. Its northern border is the

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

state line. Rio Arriba County comprises the Española, NM Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the

Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), also known as ABQ, Burque, the Duke City, and in the past 'the Q', is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernal ...

- Santa Fe-

Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

, NM Combined Statistical Area.

History

The county was one of nine originally created for the

Territory of New Mexico The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912. It was created from the U.S. provisional government of New Mexico, as a result of '' Nuevo México'' becomi ...

in 1852. Originally extending west to the California line, it included the site of present-day Las Vegas, Nevada.David Rumsey Historical Map Collection
/ref> The

was initially sited at San Pedro de Chamita, and shortly afterwards at Los Luceros. In 1860 the seat was moved to Plaza del Alcalde. Since 1880 Tierra Amarilla has been the county seat. The Battle of Embudo Pass took place in the southern part of the county during the Mexican–American War in January 1847.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the county has a total area of , of which are land and (0.6%) are water. It is the fifth-largest county in New Mexico by area. The highest point in the county is the

summit A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous. The term (mountain top) is generally used only for ...

of Truchas Peak at . The county acquired its present proportions after the creation of San Juan County and other adjustments.

Adjacent counties

* Taos County - east * Mora County - southeast * Santa Fe County - south *

Los Alamos County Los Alamos County (English: "The Poplars" or "Cottonwoods"; ) is a county in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,419. The smallest county by area in the state, Los Alamos County was formed from parts of ...

- south *

Sandoval County Sandoval County () is a county located in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 census, the population was 148,834, making it the fourth-most populous county in New Mexico. The county seat is Bernalillo. Sandoval County is part of th ...

- south * San Juan County - west *

Archuleta County, Colorado Archuleta County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 13,359. The county seat and the only Colorado municipalities, incorporated municipality in the county is P ...

- north *

Conejos County, Colorado Conejos County (Spanish language, Spanish for "rabbits") is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 7,461. The county seat is the Unincorporated area, unincorporated c ...

- north

National protected areas

Carson National Forest Carson National Forest is a United States National Forest, national forest in northern New Mexico, United States. It encompasses 6,070 square kilometers (1.5 million acres) and is administered by the United States Forest Service. The Forest Serv ...

(part) * El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail (part) *

Santa Fe National Forest The Santa Fe National Forest is a protected national forest in northern New Mexico in the Southwestern United States. It was established in 1915 and covers . Elevations range from 5,300 feet (1600 m) to 13,103 feet (4000 m) at the su ...

(part) * Valles Caldera National Preserve (part)

Demographics

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 41,190 people, 15,044 households, and 10,816 families living in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 18,016 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 56.62%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.35%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 13.88% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.11%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 25.62% from other races, and 3.28% from two or more races. 72.89% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. There were 15,044 households, out of which 36.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.80% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 15.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 23.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.19. In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.60% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.70 males. The median income for a household in the county was $29,429, and the median income for a family was $32,901. Males had a median income of $26,897 versus $22,223 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $14,263. About 16.60% of families and 20.30% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 23.30% of those under age 18 and 22.90% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 40,246 people, 15,768 households, and 10,477 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 19,638 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 51.6% white, 16.0% American Indian, 0.5% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 28.0% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 71.3% of the population. The largest ancestry groups were: * 20.6% Mexican * 15.5% Spanish * 4.5% German * 3.2% English * 2.7% Irish * 1.7% French * 1.5% Navajo * 1.2% Scottish Of the 15,768 households, 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.6% were non-families, and 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.09. The median age was 39.0 years. The median income for a household in the county was $41,437 and the median income for a family was $47,840. Males had a median income of $39,757 versus $31,657 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,913. About 15.7% of families and 19.7% of the population were below the

, including 20.6% of those under age 18 and 18.3% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

From New Mexico's statehood to the early 1930s Rio Arriba was a traditional Republican county. The county became a Democratic stronghold from the 1930s onwards. The last Republican presidential candidate to carry the county was

Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionar ...

in 1956. No Republican candidate for governor has won the county since at least 1966. In the 2024 election, the county saw a Republican shift of over 7 percentage points. While

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

still lost the county by almost 20 points, his performance was the best by a Republican since Nixon's landslide in 1972. In this election the Tierra Amarilla and Chama corridor flipped to a Republican majority. Española also saw a heavy Republican trend, as did all other major population centers in the county. Rio Arriba showed, along with

McKinley McKinley may refer to: People *McKinley (name), a page for people with the surname and given name "McKinley" **William McKinley, 25th president of the United States. Places Philippines * Fort William McKinley (now Fort Bonifacio) in Metro Ma ...

, Mora, and Guadalupe Counties, the strongest Republican shift in the state of New Mexico in 2024. It is located in New Mexico's 3rd congressional district, which has a

Cook Partisan Voting Index The Cook Partisan Voting Index, abbreviated PVI or CPVI, is a measurement of how partisan a U.S. congressional district or U.S. state is. This partisanship is indicated as lean towards either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party, com ...

rating of D+7 and is represented by Democrat Teresa Leger Fernandez. In the New Mexico legislature it is represented by Representatives Christine Chandler (District 43), Susan Herrera (District 41), Derrick Lente (District 65), Joseph Sanchez (District 40), Senator Leo Jaramillo (District 5), and Benny Shendo, Jr. (District 22). Current commissioners are:

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Rio Arriba County has six public school districts. * Chama Valley Independent Schools * Dulce Independent Schools * Española Public Schools * Jemez Mountain Public Schools * Mesa Vista Consolidated Schools * Peñasco Independent Schools Española Public Schools is the largest school district. Additionally, there is a

Bureau of Indian Education The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) is a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior under the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs that directs and manages education functions. Formerly known as the Office of Indian Education Programs ...

(BIE)-affiliated tribal elementary school, Kha'p'o Community School, in Santa Clara Pueblo (the school's postal address states "Espanola"). - While the address says "Espanola", the school is in Santa Clara Pueblo
see US Census Bureau map for 2020

Colleges

* Northern New Mexico College with campuses in Española and El Rito * New Mexico Highlands University campus in Española

Points of interest

* Abiquiu Lake * Chama River (Rio Grande) *

Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, often abbreviated as the C&TSRR, is a Narrow-gauge railway, narrow-gauge Heritage railway, heritage railroad that operates on of track between Antonito, Colorado, and Chama, New Mexico, in the United Sta ...

* Echo Amphitheater * Jicarilla Apache Reservation * Puye Cliff Dwellings *

Ghost Ranch Ghost Ranch is a retreat and education center in Rio Arriba County in north central New Mexico, United States. It is about 65 miles northwest of Santa Fe and 14 miles from Abiquiu, the nearest community. In the later 20th century, it was the ...

* Monastery of Christ in the Desert & Abbey Brewing Company * Project Gasbuggy * Tierra Amarilla (county seat) & Brazos Cliffs

Communities

City

* Española

Village

* Chama

Census-designated places

* Abiquiú *

Alcalde ''Alcalde'' (; ) is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and Administration (government), administrative functions. An ''alcalde'' was, in the absence of a corregidor (position), corregidor, the presiding officer o ...

* Brazos * Canjilon * Cañones * Canova * Chamita * Chili * Chimayo (part) * Cordova *

Coyote The coyote (''Canis latrans''), also known as the American jackal, prairie wolf, or brush wolf, is a species of canis, canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the Wolf, gray wolf, and slightly smaller than the c ...

* Dixon * Dulce * El Duende * El Rito * Ensenada * Gallina * Hernandez * La Madera * La Mesilla * La Villita * Lindrith * Los Luceros * Los Ojos * Lumberton * Lybrook * Lyden * Medanales *

Ohkay Owingeh Ohkay Owingeh (, ), known by its Spanish name as San Juan Pueblo from 1598 to 2005, is a pueblo in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined that community as a census-designated p ...

* Ojo Caliente (part) * Ojo Sarco * Pueblito * Rio Chiquito (part) * San Jose *

San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John (disambiguation), Saint John, most commonly refers to: * San Juan, Puerto Rico * San Juan, Argentina * San Juan, Metro Manila, a highly urbanized city in the Philippines San Juan may also refer to: Places Arge ...

(former) * Santa Clara Pueblo * Tierra Amarilla (county seat) * Truchas * Velarde * Youngsville

Other communities

* Arroyo del Agua * Cañoncito * Cebolla * Embudo * Las Tablas * Lindrith * Medanales * Navajo City * Ojo Sarco * Petaca * Rutheron * San Lorenzo * Vallecitos

Ghost towns

* Hopewell * Riverside * Santa Rosa de Lima * Sublette

References

External links

Rio Arriba County website

Abiquiu Online - Serving the Northern New Mexico Area
{{authority control 1852 establishments in New Mexico Territory Populated places established in 1852 Hispanic and Latino American culture in New Mexico