BluewaterNM
A town of 275.
Is Bluewater a good place to live?
Bluewater’s average trip to work is 47 minutes, against 23 minutes in New Mexico’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Of the 74 New Mexico towns we compare, none has a higher share of households owning their home than Bluewater. 15% of the land in Bluewater is conserved, against 3.9% in New Mexico’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Bluewater Lake State Park, at 392 acres. Bluewater has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Bluewater stand out
Where Bluewater beats most towns.
275 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Bluewater: who provides what
Bluewater is unincorporated, so McKinley County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 27, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bluewater.
More middle-aged adults than New Mexico overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 74% of residents (37% statewide); children under 18 are 0% of residents (22% statewide). Bluewater’s median age is 59.4 years. 31% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across New Mexico.
| Bluewater | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.4 years | 37.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 31% | 23% | 29% |
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
62% women, 38% men
About 61 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3.3 points). Across New Mexico, 50.3% of residents are women.
| Bluewater | NM | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 0% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 0% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 11.6% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 0% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 3.6% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 24% | 11.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 46.5% | 12.5% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.9% | 11.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 3.3% | 7.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 9.1% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 38.7% | 25.7% | 26% |
| Some college | 15.6% | 22.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6.2% | 9.2% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 27.2% | 17.1% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 3.3% | 13.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 300, single groups can be off by several points
With 1.9 jobs for every working resident, Bluewater draws in 113 commuters
The top destinations are Gallup (26%), Albuquerque (10%) and Crownpoint (9%). Half commute less than 35 miles.
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Bluewater stands out in New Mexico and nationally, with a typical July afternoon cooler than most
The July high in Bluewater is 84°F. Bluewater has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bluewater Lake State Park | 0.5 mi | 392 |
| 2. Cibola National Forest | 0.5 mi | 74 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Compared with most of New Mexico and the rest of the country, more of Bluewater’s adults say their health is fair or poor
49% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Bluewater. Of the 74 New Mexico towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Bluewater. 21% of adults report frequent mental distress in Bluewater.
| Bluewater | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 26% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 14% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 17% | 14% |
| What stands out | Bluewater | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 8.2% | 13.7% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.2% | 73.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 22.8% | 6.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Bluewater
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 57% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Everything we know about Bluewater
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Bluewater; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Bluewater residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
Every workday, about 113 people come to Bluewater for work
Where Bluewater’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Bluewater
Census-designated place in New Mexico, United States
Bluewater is a census-designated place (CDP) in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 174.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 12 sq mi
- Elevation
- 7,461 ft
- ZIP code
- 87005
Questions about Bluewater
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bluewater, NM a good place to live?
Bluewater has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.