Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Chama’s average trip to work is 8 minutes, below both New Mexico’s towns (23 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). No town among the 74 in New Mexico we compare has a lower July high than Chama. Foster Hotel is on the National Register of Historic Places. Chama has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Chama beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 899 in 1970, 917 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1900 and 2 maps from 1955 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Chama, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 27, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Chama.
Its public schools are run by the Chama Valley school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chama ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 52 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Most working residents leave Chama for work: only 16% work in town. 21% of Chama residents live below the poverty line, near the New Mexico town median (21%) and above the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Jobs based in Chama grew to 463 in 2023, 228 more than in 2013.
| Chama | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 21% | 21% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 16% | 14% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 84% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Chama’s January low is 8°F. Chama has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
20% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Chama. Chama beats the New Mexico average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 17% of adults have diabetes in Chama.
| Chama | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 13% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 69% | 79% |
| What stands out | Chama | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with depression | 19.5% | 23.2% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 77.8% | 73.3% |
| More adults with diabetes | 16.8% | 13.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The median rent in Chama is $570 a month.
| Chama | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $570 a month | $940 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 80% | 70% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1.8 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves.
| Chama | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.1% | 3.9% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.6 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Chama; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Chama residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
Where Chama’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
3 notable people were born in Chama.
Village in New Mexico, United States
Chama is a village in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 917 at the 2020 census. The village is located in the Rocky Mountains about 7 miles (11 km) south of the Colorado-New Mexico border.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Chama has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
3 notable people were born here, including Brian Baird and Mariangela Pino.
