Editing McKinley County, New Mexico

{{Short description|County in New Mexico, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = McKinley County
 | state                = New Mexico
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1901
 | founded date         = January 1
 | seat wl              = Gallup
 | largest city wl      = Gallup
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 5455.5
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 5450
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 5.5
 | area percentage      = 0.1%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 72902 {{gain}}
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2024
 | population_est       =
 | density_sq_mi        = 13
 | web                  = www.co.mckinley.nm.us
 | ex image             = McKinley County New Mexico Court House.jpg
 | ex image cap         = [[McKinley County Courthouse]] in Gallup
 | district             = 2nd
 | district2            = 3rd
 | time zone            = Mountain
 | named for            = [[William McKinley]] }}

'''McKinley County''' is a [[List of counties in New Mexico|county]] in the northwestern section of the [[U.S. state]] of [[New Mexico]]. As of the [[2020 United States census]], its population was 72,902.<ref>{{cite web|title=McKinley County, New Mexico |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/McKinley_County,_New_Mexico?g=050XX00US35031|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=July 3, 2023}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Gallup, New Mexico|Gallup]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> The county was created in 1901 and named for President [[William McKinley]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/NM_Consolidated_Chronology.htm|title=New Mexico: Consolidated Chronology of State and County Boundaries|work=New Mexico Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|publisher=The Newberry Library|date=2007|access-date=January 2, 2015|archive-date=August 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822051237/http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/NM_Consolidated_Chronology.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> McKinley County is Gallup's [[micropolitan statistical area]].

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|5455|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|5.5|sqmi|abbr=on}} (0.1%) are covered by water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_35.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 2, 2015 |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101195546/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_35.txt |archive-date=January 1, 2015  }}</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
* [[San Juan County, New Mexico|San Juan County]] - north
* [[Sandoval County, New Mexico|Sandoval County]] - east
* [[Cibola County, New Mexico|Cibola County]] - south
* [[Apache County, Arizona]] - west

===Major highways===
* [[Image:I-40.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 40 in New Mexico|Interstate 40]]
* [[Image:US 491.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 491]]
* [[New Mexico State Road 264]]
* [[New Mexico State Road 371]]
* [[New Mexico State Road 602]]

===National protected areas===
* [[Chaco Culture National Historical Park]] (part)
* [[Cibola National Forest]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1910 = 12963
| 1920 = 13731
| 1930 = 20643
| 1940 = 23641
| 1950 = 27451
| 1960 = 37209
| 1970 = 43208
| 1980 = 56449
| 1990 = 60686
| 2000 = 74798
| 2010 = 71492
| 2020 = 72902
| estyear = 
| estimate = 
| estref = 
| align-fn = center
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 2, 2015}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 2, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/nm190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 2, 2015}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 2, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/35/35031.html |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=September 30, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606230151/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/35/35031.html |archive-date=June 6, 2011 }}</ref>
}}

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>  74,798 people, 21,476 households, and 16,686 families were living in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|14|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. The 26,718 housing units had an average density of {{convert|5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|racial makeup]] of the county was 74.72% Native American, 16.39% White, 0.46% Asian, 0.40% African American, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 5.47% from other races, and 2.52% from two or more races. About 12.40% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 21,476 households, 46.0% had children under 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 22.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were not families. About 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.44, and the average family size was 3.99.

In the county, the age distribution was 38.0% under 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.50 males. For every 100.0 females 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,005, and for a family was $26,806. Males had a median income of $26,963 versus $21,014 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $9,872. About 31.9% of families and 36.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 42.3% of those under 18 and 31.5% of those 65 or over. The county's [[per capita income]] makes it one of the [[List of lowest-income counties in the United States|poorest counties in the United States]].

McKinley County is one of only 38 county-level census divisions of the United States where the most spoken language is not English and one of only three where it is neither English nor Spanish; 45.75% of the population speak [[Navajo language|Navajo]] at home, followed by English at 38.87%, [[Zuni language|Zuñi]] at 9.03%, and Spanish at 5.72%.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], 71,492&nbsp;people, 21,968&nbsp;households, and 16,219&nbsp;families resided in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US35031
  |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data
  |access-date=January 24, 2016
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213014929/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US35031
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The population density was {{convert|13.1|PD/sqmi}}. The 25,813 housing units had an average density of {{convert|4.7|/sqmi|abbr=on}}.<ref name="census-density">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US35031
  |access-date=January 24, 2016
  |title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213192610/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US35031
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 75.5% Native American, 15.2% White, 0.8% Asian, 0.5% Black or African American, 4.9% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 13.3% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

Of the 21,968&nbsp;households, 46.2% had children under 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 24.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 26.2% were not families, and 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 3.22, and the average family size was 3.82. The median age was 30.7 years.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

The median income for a household in the county was $31,335 and for a family was $37,345. Males had a median income of $31,527 versus $26,236 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,932. About 26.6% of families and 33.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 43.0% of those under 18 and 31.3% of those 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US35031
  |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=January 24, 2016
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213012659/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US35031
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==Communities==
===City===
* [[Gallup, New Mexico|Gallup]] (county seat)

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}
* [[Buffalo Springs, New Mexico|Buffalo Springs]]
* [[Chi Chil Tah, New Mexico|Chi Chil Tah]]
* [[Rehoboth, New Mexico|Rehoboth]]
* [[Smith Lake, New Mexico|Smith Lake]]
* [[Whitehorse, New Mexico|Whitehorse]]
{{div col end}}
===Census-designated places===
For purposes of census-data collection, organization and analysis, the [[United States Census Bureau]] has devised 44 [[census-designated place]]s since 1980 within McKinley County.
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Becenti, New Mexico|Becenti]]
* [[Black Hat, New Mexico|Black Hat]]
* [[Black Rock, New Mexico|Black Rock]] 
* [[Bluewater, McKinley County, New Mexico|Bluewater]]
* [[Borrego Pass, New Mexico|Borrego Pass]]
* [[Brimhall Nizhoni, New Mexico|Brimhall Nizhoni]] 
* [[Catalpa Canyon, New Mexico|Catalpa Canyon]]
* [[Church Rock, New Mexico|Church Rock]] 
* [[Continental Divide, New Mexico|Continental Divide]]
* [[Crestview, New Mexico|Crestview]]
* [[Crownpoint, New Mexico|Crownpoint]] 
* [[Crystal, New Mexico|Crystal]] (part)
* [[Fort Wingate]]
* [[Gamerco, New Mexico|Gamerco]]
* [[Haystack, New Mexico|Haystack]]
* [[Homer C Jones, New Mexico|Homer C Jones]]
* [[Iyanbito, New Mexico|Iyanbito]]
* [[Jamestown, New Mexico|Jamestown]]
* [[Manuelito, New Mexico|Manuelito]]
* [[McGaffey, New Mexico|McGaffey]]
* [[Nakaibito, New Mexico|Nakaibito]] 
* [[Navajo, New Mexico|Navajo]] 
* [[Ojo Encino, New Mexico|Ojo Encino]]
* [[Pinedale, New Mexico|Pinedale]]
* [[Pinehaven, New Mexico|Pinehaven]]
* [[Prewitt, New Mexico|Prewitt]]
* [[Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico|Pueblo Pintado]]
* [[Purty Rock, New Mexico|Purty Rock]] 
* [[Ramah, New Mexico|Ramah]] 
* [[Red Rock Ranch, New Mexico|Red Rock Ranch]]
* [[Rock Springs, New Mexico|Rock Springs]] 
* [[Sagar, New Mexico|Sagar]]
* [[Sundance, New Mexico|Sundance]]
* [[Thoreau, New Mexico|Thoreau]] 
* [[Timberlake, New Mexico|Timberlake]] (part)
* [[Tohatchi, New Mexico|Tohatchi]] 
* [[Tse Bonito, New Mexico|Tse Bonito]] 
* [[Twin Lakes, New Mexico|Twin Lakes]] 
* [[Vanderwagen, New Mexico|Vanderwagen]]
* [[White Cliffs, New Mexico|White Cliffs]]
* [[Williams Acres, New Mexico|Williams Acres]]
* [[Yah-ta-hey, New Mexico|Yah-ta-hey]] 
* [[Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico|Zuni Pueblo]]
{{div col end}}

<!--{{div col end}}-->

==Education==

Locally controlled public schools in most of McKinley County are run by [[Gallup-McKinley County Schools]], the local school district, and include [[Crownpoint High School]], Gallup Central High School, [[Gallup High School]], [[Hiroshi Miyamura High School]], [[Navajo Pine High School]], [[Ramah Middle / High School]], [[Thoreau High School]], [[Tohatchi High School]], and [[Tse Yi Gai High School]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gmcs.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1190765&type=d&pREC_ID=1434281|title=Gallup-McKinley County Schools - High Schools|website=Gallup-McKinley County Schools|access-date=May 28, 2021}}</ref> Areas in and around the Zuni reservation are in the [[Zuni Public School District]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st35_nm/schooldistrict_maps/c35031_mckinley/DC20SD_C35031.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720205405/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st35_nm/schooldistrict_maps/c35031_mckinley/DC20SD_C35031.pdf |archive-date=July 20, 2021 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: McKinley County, NM|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 20, 2021}}</ref> which operates [[Zuni High School]].

Two [[Bureau of Indian Education]] (BIE) [[boarding schools]] are in the [[Fort Wingate]] area: Wingate Elementary School,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wes.bie.edu/|title=Home|publisher=Wingate Elementary School|accessdate=July 11, 2021}}</ref> and [[Wingate High School (New Mexico)|Wingate High School]]. The BIE also operates a K-8 school, Pueblo Pintado Community School, in [[Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico|Pueblo Pintado]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bie.edu/schools/directory/pueblo-pintado-community-school|title=Pueblo Pintado Community School|publisher=[[Bureau of Indian Education]]|accessdate=January 11, 2022}}</ref> and a K-6 school, Baca /Dlo'Ay Azhi Community School.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=U.S. Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Education|url=https://www.bie.edu/schools/directory/baca-dloay-azhi-community-school|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=December 31, 2020|website=BIE Schools Directory {{!}} Bureau of Indian Education}}</ref> Additionally, a tribal school affiliated with the BIE, Ch'ooshgai Community School, is located in Tohatchi.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bie.edu/schools/directory/chooshgai-community-school|title=Ch'ooshgai Community School|publisher=[[Bureau of Indian Education]]|accessdate=January 12, 2022}}</ref>

==Politics==
During its early history from 1912 to 1928, McKinley County voted for the Republican candidate in every presidential election. From 1932 onward, the county, with its large Native American majority, has strongly backed Democratic candidates in all but three presidential elections that were national landslides for the Republican Party.

Democratic strength in the county lies in most of Gallup and the Navajo and Zuni Reservations, which cover a large majority of the county's land area. The community of Ramah has previously been one of the only Republican-leaning parts of the county. In 2024 the county saw the strongest shift toward the Republican party of any county in New Mexico, along with [[Guadalupe County, New Mexico|Guadalupe]], [[Mora County, New Mexico|Mora]], and [[Rio Arriba County, New Mexico|Rio Arriba]] Counties. Parts of southern Gallup and the Thoreau area flipped to a Republican majority, and many parts of the Navajo and Zuni Reservations experienced shifts as well along with most other rural areas.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/us/elections/2024-election-map-precinct-results.html?unlocked_article_code=1.qk4.9CUE.eUcpg0mNRL9r&smid=url-share | title=An Extremely Detailed Map of the 2024 Election | work=The New York Times | date=January 15, 2025 | last1=Datar | first1=Saurabh | last2=Marcus | first2=Ilana | last3=Murray | first3=Eli | last4=Singer | first4=Ethan | last5=Lemonides | first5=Alex | last6=Zhang | first6=Christine }}</ref>

{{PresHead|place=McKinley County, New Mexico|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=April 1, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|9,364|15,711|792|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|7,801|18,029|656|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|5,104|13,576|3,023|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|5,546|15,841|542|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|6,382|16,572|253|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|7,351|13,051|221|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|5,070|10,281|528|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|4,470|10,124|932|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|4,720|9,405|1,406|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|5,694|9,595|178|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1984|Democratic|6,557|7,915|171|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|7,329|4,869|736|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|4,617|6,856|120|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|5,366|5,124|299|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|4,376|4,491|706|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,965|6,913|122|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|4,262|5,599|32|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|4,450|3,331|30|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|3,091|3,097|19|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|2,109|2,995|45|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|1,547|2,210|3|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|1,701|2,525|6|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,404|2,526|14|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,373|2,096|20|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,075|1,247|13|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|1,653|1,150|423|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,525|989|27|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|669|550|7|New Mexico}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Republican|264|224|244|New Mexico}}

==See also==
{{Commons category}}
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in McKinley County, New Mexico]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = McKinley County, New Mexico
|North     = [[San Juan County, New Mexico|San Juan County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Sandoval County, New Mexico|Sandoval County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Cibola County, New Mexico|Cibola County]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Apache County, Arizona]]
|Northwest =
}}
{{McKinley County, New Mexico}}
{{New Mexico}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|35.58|-108.26|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-NM_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:McKinley County, New Mexico| ]]
[[Category:1901 establishments in New Mexico Territory]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1901]]