Most Native American places in New Mexico research summary. We used Saturday Night Science to research the New Mexico cities with the highest percentage of Native American residents for 2026. The data comes from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 vintage, which breaks down race by origin.
The city with the highest percentage of Native Americans is Gallup. 49.75% of people in Gallup are Native Americans.
The city with the lowest percentage of Native Americans is Sunland Park. 0.11% of people in Sunland Park are Native American.
The city with the most Native Americans is Albuquerque. 22,134 people in Albuquerque are Native American.
The city with the fewest Native Americans is Los Ranchos de Albuquerque. 11 people in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque are Native American.
The United States has 1,698,432 Native Americans and is 0.51% Native American.
Which city in New Mexico had the largest Native American population? The place with the largest Native American population in New Mexico for 2026 is Gallup. 49.75% of Gallup identify as Native American.
49.8% Native American · 10,459 Native American residents
Located in
McKinley County, New Mexico
Gallup is a city in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States, with a population of 21,678 as of the 2010 census. A substantial percentage of its population is Native American, with residents from the Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni tribes. Gallup is the county seat of McKinley County and the most populous city between Flagstaff and Albuquerque, along the historic U.S. Route 66.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
24.3% Native American · 11,257 Native American residents
Located in
San Juan County, New Mexico
Farmington is a city in San Juan County in the US state of New Mexico. As of the 2013 population estimate from the United States Census Bureau the city had a total population of 45,426 people. Farmington makes up one of the four Metropolitan Statistical Areas in New Mexico. The U.S. Census Bureau’s population estimate in 2011 for Farmington was about 45,256.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
17.3% Native American · 1,067 Native American residents
Located in
San Juan County, New Mexico
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
14.8% Native American · 1,096 Native American residents
Located in
San Juan County, New Mexico
Bloomfield is a city in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Farmington Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 8,112 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
14.1% Native American · 1,196 Native American residents
Located in
Socorro County, New Mexico
Socorro is a city in Socorro County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is in the Rio Grande Valley at an elevation of 4,579 feet. In 2012 the population was 8,906. It is the county seat of Socorro County. Socorro is located 74 miles south of Albuquerque and 146 miles north of Las Cruces.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
9.2% Native American · 827 Native American residents
Located in
Cibola County, New Mexico
Grants is a city in Cibola County, New Mexico, United States. It is located about 78 miles west of Albuquerque. The population was 9,182 at the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Cibola County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
4.9% Native American · 915 Native American residents
Located in
Valencia County, New Mexico
Los Lunas is a village in Valencia County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the village population is 14,835 inside the village limits due to the new housing developments at El Cerro de Los Lunas. It is the county seat of Valencia County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
3.9% Native American · 22,134 Native American residents
Located in
Bernalillo County, New Mexico
Albuquerque AL-b-kur-kee; Navajo: Beeeldl Dahsinil ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The high-elevation city serves as the county seat of Bernalillo County, and it is situated in the north central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population is 559,277 as of the July 1, 2016 population estimate from the United States Census Bureau, and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. The Albuquerque metropolitan statistical area has a population of 909,906 according to the United States Census Bureau’s most recently available estimate for 2016. Albuquerque is the 60th-largest United States metropolitan area. The Albuquerque MSA population includes the city of Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, Placitas, Corrales, Los Lunas, Belen, Bosque Farms, and forms part of the larger Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas combined statistical area, with a total population of 1,171,991 as of the July 1, 2016, Census Bureau estimates.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers | Compare
3.5% Native American · 3,824 Native American residents
Located in
Sandoval County, New Mexico
Rio Rancho is the largest city and economic hub of Sandoval County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. A small portion of the city extends into northern Bernalillo County. It is the third-largest and also one of the fastest expanding cities in New Mexico. As of the 2010 census, Rio Rancho had a population of 93,820.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
2.7% Native American · 340 Native American residents
Located in
Eddy County, New Mexico
Artesia is a city in Eddy County, New Mexico, United States, centered at the intersection of U.S. Route 82 and U.S. Route 285; the two highways serve as the city’s Main Street and First Street, respectively. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,301.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is New Mexico’s statewide median.
On the map
Where New Mexico’s Native American population is concentrated
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In New Mexico With The Largest Native American Population For 2026
We still believe in the accuracy of data — especially from the Census. So that’s where we went to get the race breakdown across New Mexico.
We used Saturday Night Science to analyze the Census’s most recently available data, the 2020-2024 American Community Survey data.
Specifically, we looked at table B03002: Hispanic OR LATINO ORIGIN BY RACE. Here are the category names as defined by the Census:
- Hispanic or Latino
- White alone
- Black or African American alone
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone
- Asian alone
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone
- Some other race alone
- Two or more races
Our particular column of interest here was the number of people identifying as American Indian and Alaska Native alone.
We limited our analysis to places with a population greater than 5,000 people. That left us with 32 cities.
We then calculated the percentage of residents that are American Indian and Alaska Native. The percentages ranked from 49.75 to 0.11.
Finally, we ranked each city based on the percentage of the American Indian and Alaska Native population, with a higher score being more American Indian and Alaska Native than a lower score. Gallup took the distinction of being the most American Indian and Alaska Native, while Sunland Park was the least Native American city.
We updated this article for 2026. This article is our eleventh time ranking the cities in New Mexico with the largest Native American population.
The full plate
Most Native American Places In New Mexico
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Native American Population | % Native American |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gallup | 21,023 | 10,459 | 49.8% |
| 2 | Farmington | 46,314 | 11,257 | 24.3% |
| 3 | Aztec | 6,150 | 1,067 | 17.3% |
| 4 | Bloomfield | 7,395 | 1,096 | 14.8% |
| 5 | Socorro | 8,481 | 1,196 | 14.1% |
| 6 | Grants | 8,951 | 827 | 9.2% |
| 7 | Los Lunas | 18,618 | 915 | 4.9% |
| 8 | Albuquerque | 562,218 | 22,134 | 3.9% |
| 9 | Rio Rancho | 108,515 | 3,824 | 3.5% |
| 10 | Artesia | 12,576 | 340 | 2.7% |
| 11 | Corrales | 8,555 | 197 | 2.3% |
| 12 | Ruidoso | 7,699 | 119 | 1.5% |
| 13 | Bernalillo | 9,086 | 139 | 1.5% |
| 14 | Santa Fe | 89,019 | 1,287 | 1.4% |
| 15 | Alamogordo | 31,307 | 400 | 1.3% |
| 16 | Raton | 6,026 | 71 | 1.2% |
| 17 | Las Vegas | 13,000 | 149 | 1.1% |
| 18 | Las Cruces | 114,197 | 887 | 0.8% |
| 19 | Portales | 11,968 | 91 | 0.8% |
| 20 | Deming | 15,221 | 115 | 0.8% |
| 21 | Hobbs | 40,252 | 250 | 0.6% |
| 22 | Taos | 6,458 | 40 | 0.6% |
| 23 | Clovis | 37,942 | 193 | 0.5% |
| 24 | Silver City | 9,536 | 48 | 0.5% |
| 25 | Roswell | 47,638 | 214 | 0.4% |
| 26 | Carlsbad | 31,746 | 122 | 0.4% |
| 27 | Truth or Consequences | 6,019 | 19 | 0.3% |
| 28 | Tucumcari | 5,160 | 12 | 0.2% |
| 29 | Los Ranchos de Albuquerque | 5,857 | 11 | 0.2% |
| 30 | Belen | 7,450 | 13 | 0.2% |
| 31 | Lovington | 11,498 | 20 | 0.2% |
| 32 | Sunland Park | 17,463 | 19 | 0.1% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, table B03002. 32 New Mexico cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Native American Populations Across New Mexico
If you’re looking for a breakdown of Native American populations across New Mexico according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
The most Native American cities in New Mexico are Gallup, Farmington, Aztec, Bloomfield, Socorro, Grants, Los Lunas, Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, and Artesia. Not sold on New Mexico? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Native American Population In New Mexico FAQs
What city in New Mexico has the highest share of Native American residents?
Gallup has the highest share of Native American residents in New Mexico for 2026, at 49.75% of the population. Farmington and Aztec are next.
What city in New Mexico has the most Native American residents overall?
Albuquerque has the most Native American residents in New Mexico, with 22,134 people. That is the raw count; Gallup leads on share of population.
What are the top Native American communities in New Mexico?
The New Mexico places with the highest Native American population shares are Gallup, Farmington, Aztec, Bloomfield, Socorro, Grants, Los Lunas, Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, and Artesia. We ranked all 32 places with more than 5,000 residents.
How many Native Americans live in the United States?
The United States has 1,698,432 residents identifying as American Indian and Alaska Native, which is 0.51% of the country. The share in Gallup runs far above that national mark.
Where does this data come from?
Every number comes from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020-2024), table B03002, based on residents identifying as American Indian and Alaska Native. We rank each New Mexico place with more than 5,000 residents.
