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New Mexico›Rio Arriba County
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El RitoNM

A town of 1,102, settled in 1870.

Population
1,102
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$332K
Census ACS
Median age
39.5
years
Jobs based here
53
A commuter town

Is El Rito a good place to live?

El Rito’s weakest subject grade is a D− for hazard risk. The biggest place to walk is Carson National Forest, 195 acres with 1.1 miles of trail. El Rito has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

WeakestD−Hazard riskDSchools
Small town

1,102 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Española · 23 mi

How El Rito grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Mexico), ordered by how far El Rito is from typical.

How grading works

Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 94% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listD−Open →SchoolsDOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $332K, 5.8 years of the Española area’s $57K median household incomeCOpen →HealthPresbyterian Espanola Hospital 23.7 miles awayCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.7 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 33.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trails; 8% conserved landC+Open →HistoryCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 39.5; 13% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to El Rito: who provides what

El Rito is unincorporated, so Rio Arriba County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerJemez Mountains Elec Coop15.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEl Rito Regional Water & Waste Water AsnNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers93% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesRio Arriba CountyRio Arriba County provides services here
SchoolsMesa Vista Consolidated SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn New Mexico you can register online until 28 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereRio Arriba County ClerkRio Arriba County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Mar 2023
ZIP code8753087530 100%Census 2020

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 El Rito.

SchoolsD

El Rito’s public schools trail 93% of New Mexico districts

Its one school is below. The public schools here belong to the Mesa Vista school district. El Rito’s only public school teaches 63 students.

7%of NM districts it outscoresDSchool Grade
SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
El Rito ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–3Grades PK–363–
Full pageEl Rito’s schools pageOpen the page
The districtsMESA VISTAEvery school1 school · El Rito ElementaryQuestions“Are El Rito’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within NM on state tests and graduation

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−

Compared with most of New Mexico and the rest of the country, the FEMA risk score in El Rito is higher

Expected losses in El Rito break down as 78% from inland flooding and 13% from wildfires. One declared disaster, in 2024, has brought federal aid to El Rito households.

94risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
94Very high riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingWildfire
1
federal disasters paid out here
Full pageEl Rito’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesVery high riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters1 federal disaster · Paid out in El RitoGet ready1.2 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Work & commute

More of El Rito’s residents live below the poverty line than in the typical New Mexico or U.S. town

The top destinations are Los Alamos (20%), Albuquerque (19%) and Santa Fe (9%). El Rito: 2% of working residents work locally, against 14% in New Mexico’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. It had 53 jobs in 2023, up 49 from 2013. For half of commuters, work is under 46 miles away.

2%work in town
El RitoNew Mexico townsU.S. towns
Below the poverty line54%21%9.6%
Working residents who work in town2%14%8%
Average trip to work23 minutes23 minutes25 minutes

Where working residents work

In El Rito2%
Los Alamos20%
Albuquerque19%
Santa Fe9%
Española5%
46 mi
median commute distance
53
jobs based in El Rito
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 54% of U.S. towns
Full pageEl Rito’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here53 jobs based here · A commuter townWhere people work2% work in El RitoCommute times23 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 46 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

HealthC

On CDC estimates, El Rito is less healthy than 68% of U.S. towns

Among adults in El Rito, 73% had a checkup this year. CDC measures, 32 in all: El Rito beats New Mexico on 6 and trails on 4. Of the 74 New Mexico towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than El Rito. Just over one in ten adults in El Rito binge drink; 14% report frequent mental distress.

32%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
El RitoNew Mexico townsU.S. towns
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)18%14%12%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)11%13%16%
No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES)19%16%8.1%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)14%16%17%
32 measures vs. New Mexico
6 better22 too close to call4 worse
What stands outEl RitoNM
Fewer adults with depression18.5%23.2%
Fewer binge drinkers11%13.7%
More adults with diabetes18.2%13.2%
Presbyterian Espanola Hospital
23.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
Full pageEl Rito’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsFewer binge drinkersHospitals & doctors nearby23.7 miles to an ER · Presbyterian Espanola HospitalHow adults are doingFewer adults in frequent mental distressEvery CDC estimateBetter than NM on 6 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Climate

Four seasons and pleasant summers in El Rito

The range runs from 17° on a January night to 86° on a July afternoon, with about 24 inches of snow a winter.

24″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter18–44°
Spring33–64°
Summer53–84°
Fall35–66°
Oct 7
typical first frost
May 15
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageEl Rito’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 86°, January lows 17°Rain & snow24″ of snow a winter · 13 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+1.2° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

OutdoorsC+

8.4% of El Rito is conserved land

There are 2.4 miles of trail across 2 parks and preserves. For El Rito, the concentration of trails is 0.6 miles per square mile.

8.4%conserved
El RitoNew Mexico townsU.S. towns
Conserved land8.4%3.9%4.3%
Miles of trail per square mile0.6 miles per square mile1.00.4
8.4%
conserved · 219 of 2,618 acres
2.4 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Carson National Forest1.1 mi195
2. Senator Matias L. Chacon Recreational Park—3
Full pageEl Rito’s outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map2.4 miles of trail, mappedPick a walk1.1 miles of trail · Carson National ForestConserved land8.4% conserved · 219 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in El Rito?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Keep exploring

Everything we know about El Rito

17pages on El Rito
The big questions
SchoolsDBehind 93% of NM districts · 1 schoolHealthCBetter than NM on 6 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingCWork & commute53 jobs hereNatural hazardsD−FEMA risk higher than 94% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
OutdoorsC+2 mi of trails · 8% conserved landPlacesAttractions31 nearby · Carson National Forest 14 miLibraryEl Rito Public LibraryColleges
The story
HistoryCSettled 1870Climate86° summer highs · 24″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of El Rito; the nearest are

Northern New Mexico CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Espanola23.2 mi$6,400 in-state tuitionUniversity of New Mexico-Taos CampusCommunity college · Public · Ranchos de Taos29.1 mi$2,136 in-state tuition

About 5 of every 100 El Rito residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New Mexico.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

98% of working residents leave El Rito for work

Where El Rito’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

20% → Los Alamos Los Alamos 20% 19% → Albuquerque Albuquerque 19% 9% → Santa Fe Santa Fe 9% 5% → Española Española 5% 3% → Chama Chama 3% 2% → Taos Taos 2% El Rito · 2% stay
53jobs based in El Rito
2%of working residents work in town
46 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

Questions about El Rito

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is El Rito, NM expensive?

Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.