Editing Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =
<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Racing at Ruidoso Downs.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = Horse racing at [[Ruidoso Downs Race Track|Ruidoso Downs]]
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =
<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Lincoln_County_New_Mexico_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Ruidoso_Downs_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico
|pushpin_map              = USA
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location in the United States
<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[New Mexico]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in New Mexico|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Lincoln County, New Mexico|Lincoln]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =
<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='35'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 9.82
|area_land_km2            = 9.82
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 3.79
|area_land_sq_mi          = 3.79
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
|population_total         = 2620
|population_density_km2   = 266.93
|population_density_sq_mi = 691.29
<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Mountain Time Zone|Mountain (MST)]]
|utc_offset               = -7
|timezone_DST             = MDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -6
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 6441
|coordinates              = {{coord|33|19|54|N|105|35|46|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 88346
|area_code                = [[Area code 575|575]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 35-65280
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2411014<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2411014}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|ruidosodowns.us}}
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Ruidoso Downs''' is a city in [[Lincoln County, New Mexico|Lincoln County]], [[New Mexico]], United States, located within the [[Lincoln National Forest]]. The population was 1,824 at the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] and 2,815 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US3565280&tid=DECENNIALSF12010.P1| title=Total Population: 2010 Census DEC Summary File 1 (P1), Ruidoso Downs city, New Mexico| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| website=data.census.gov| access-date=May 7, 2020}}</ref> Originally incorporated as a village, it became a city in May 2002.<ref>[https://www.census.gov/popest/geographic/boundary_changes/index.html Population Estimates Boundary Changes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060206063031/http://www.census.gov/popest/geographic/boundary_changes/index.html |date=2006-02-06 }}, [[United States Census Bureau]], 2007-07-01.  Accessed 2008-11-06.</ref> Known locally as "the Downs", Ruidoso Downs is a suburb of adjacent [[Ruidoso, New Mexico|Ruidoso]] and is a part of the Ruidoso [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]]. The city, located along [[U.S. Route 70 in New Mexico|U.S. Route 70]], is named after the [[Ruidoso Downs Race Track]], which is located in the city along with the [[Billy the Kid Casino]] and the [[Hubbard Museum of the American West]].

==History==
According to a local Ruidoso Downs historian, early on Hispanos settlers called the area "San Juanito". The settlers began arriving in the early in the late 1840s, and introduced rodeo and horse racing to the area. Originally the area had scattered farms and ranches, with the Dowlin Mill constructed in 1868. A new wave of families arrived after the [[Lincoln County War]].<ref name="ruidosonews">{{cite news
| title       =The History of Ruidoso Downs
| first       =Cynthia E. 
| last        =Orozco|author-link=Cynthia Orozco| url         =http://www.ruidosonews.com/ruidoso-news/ci_25340676/history-ruidoso-downs
| newspaper   =Ruidoso News
| date        =March 13, 2014
| access-date  = 2015-06-15
}}</ref>

By around 1907 the road between [[Roswell, New Mexico|Roswell]] and [[Alamogordo]], which passed through the area, was still primitive, though it was improved in the 1920s through the Federal Aid Project.<ref name="ruidosonews"/> The road that would become [[US 70]] was paved in the area around 1945, and then improved again in 1958. The road became four lanes in 1981.<ref name="ruidosonews"/>

In 1946 the ''Ruidoso News'' was founded and the airport opened, and two years later radio arrived. Electric lights appeared in the area in 1947.<ref name="ruidosonews"/> The White Mountain Inn opened in the 1940s as a [[sanatorium]] and as a lodging establishment.<ref name="ruidosonews"/>

==Geography==
Ruidoso Downs is located in southern Lincoln County and is bordered to the west by [[Ruidoso, New Mexico|Ruidoso]].

[[U.S. Route 70]] passes through the city, leading east {{convert|69|mi}} to [[Roswell, New Mexico|Roswell]] and southwest over Apache Summit {{convert|34|mi}} to [[Tularosa, New Mexico|Tularosa]]. [[New Mexico State Road 48]] departs US 70 just west of the city limits, leading north {{convert|22|mi}} to [[Capitan, New Mexico|Capitan]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has an area of {{convert|9.8|km2|order=flip}}, all of it recorded as land.<ref name="Gazetteer 2019">{{cite web| url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_35.txt| title=U.S. Gazetteer Files: 2019: Places: New Mexico| website=U.S. Census Bureau Geography Division| access-date=May 7, 2020}}</ref> The city is in the valley of the [[Rio Ruidoso]], which rises to the west on [[Sierra Blanca Peak]] and flows east to form the [[Rio Hondo (Southern New Mexico)|Rio Hondo]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1950= 363
|1960= 407
|1970= 702
|1980= 949
|1990= 920
|2000= 1824
|2010= 2815
|2020= 2620
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:35&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=Oct 12, 2022}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 1,824 people, 680 households, and 490 families residing in the village. The population density was {{convert|856.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 921 housing units at an average density of {{convert|432.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 67.32% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.77% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 3.56% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.71% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.27% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 24.45% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.91% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 43.70% of the population.

There were 680 households, out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the city the population was spread out, with 29.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $29,375, and the median income for a family was $30,500. Males had a median income of $22,000 versus $17,623 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $12,144. About 17.4% of families and 20.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 29.7% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

== Economy ==
Ruidoso Downs' economy is primarily driven by tourism with the industries that support it being major employers, with 27.1% of the employed population working in the "Arts, Entertainment and Recreation, and Accommodation and Food Services" industry.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 13, 2021 |title=Comprehensive Plan 2021 |url=https://webgen1files1.revize.com/ruidosodownsnm/Comprehensive%20Plan%202021.pdf |access-date=March 16, 2025 |website=City of Ruidoso Downs}}</ref>[[File:Heading towards Capitan (4987224121).jpg|thumb|Road heading towards [[Capitan, New Mexico|Capitan]]]]

==Transportation==

===Airports===
* [[Sierra Blanca Regional Airport]], located about {{convert|19|mi}} by road northeast of Ruidoso Downs.

===Major highways===
* [[U.S. Route 70 in New Mexico|U.S. Route 70]]

==Key facilities==
[[File:Hubbard Museum of the American West Ruidoso Downs New Mexico.jpg|thumb|Hubbard Museum of the American West]]
*[[Ruidoso Downs Race Track]]
*Billy the Kid Casino
*Hubbard Museum of the American West

==Events and culture==
[[File:Ruidoso Downs New Mexico Racetrack and Casino.jpg|thumb|[[Ruidoso Downs Race Track]] and Casino, where the [[All American Futurity]] is held annually.]]
The city is the annual location of the [[All American Futurity]], which claims to be the richest race in [[Quarter Horse]] racing.<ref>[http://www.ruidownsracing.com/ ruidownsracing.com]</ref>

==See also==
* [[Lincoln National Forest]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|www.ruidosodowns.us}}

{{Lincoln County, New Mexico}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Lincoln County, New Mexico]]
[[Category:Cities in New Mexico]]