New Mexico 14 northbound, Santa Fe County NM, 2012
Golden’s story
146 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2012 and 2 maps from 1961 on.
- 1880Golden is settled
GoldenNM
A town of 20, settled in 1880.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Senorhelmut · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
20
Census survey, 2020–24
Land area
7 sq mi
Is Golden a good place to live?
100% of households are owner-occupiers in Golden, above both New Mexico’s towns (70%) and U.S. towns (73%). Golden has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
20 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
San PedroGolden
Getting set up
Moving to Golden: who provides what
Golden is unincorporated, so Santa Fe County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerMora-San Miguel Elec CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesSanta Fe CountySanta Fe County provides services here
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.govWho runs elections hereSanta Fe County ClerkSanta Fe County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code8704787047 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 Golden.
Climate
Golden: four seasons and pleasant summers
In Golden, the midsummer high is 87°F, below the New Mexico town median (93°F) but above the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
29″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–46°
Spring35–66°
Summer55–86°
Fall38–67°
Oct 9
typical first frost
May 9
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: high risk in Golden, mostly drought
Expected damage from storms and floods is higher here than in 67% of U.S. communities. FEMA puts 54% of Golden’s expected hazard losses down to drought, and 36% to inland flooding.
67risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Golden is
Among 74 New Mexico towns, just 3 have a lower share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Golden. Against the New Mexico average, Golden comes out ahead on 22 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 4. For adults here, the share who feel lonely is 29%.
| Golden | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 34% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 27% | 25% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 35% | 33% |
32 measures vs. New Mexico
22 better6 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Golden | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.8% | 20.9% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.2% | 15.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.6% | 7.4% |
Lovelace Women's Hospital
22.7 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Conservation land takes up 9.2% of Golden
1.5 miles of trail. Golden’s trail density comes in at 0.2 miles per square mile.
9.2%conserved
| Golden | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 9.2% | 3.9% | 4.3% |
9.2%
conserved · 393 of 4,289 acres
1.5 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 45 attractions →University Stadium and 37 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Golden. Close and well known come first.
27 mi Stadium & arenaUniversity Stadium
30 mi National MonumentBandelier National Monument248K visitors a year
33 mi MuseumGeorgia O'Keeffe Museum
12 mi Ski areaSandia Peak Ski Area66 runs · 1,599 ft vertical
29 mi National Historical ParkPecos National Historical Park37K visitors a year
27 mi National MonumentPetroglyph National Monument311K visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
University Stadium: Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY 4.0 · Bandelier National Monument: Andrew Dunn (talk · contribs), CC BY-SA 2.0 · Georgia O'Keeffe Museum: John Phelan, CC BY 3.0 · Sandia Peak Ski Area: Skoch3, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Pecos National Historical Park: Mosamiazaz at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Petroglyph National Monument: Unknown, Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Golden
14pages on Golden
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Golden; the nearest are
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts DevelopmentUniversity or college · Public · Santa Fe25.3 mi$5,920 in-state tuitionSouthwestern Indian Polytechnic InstituteCommunity college · Public · Albuquerque25.6 mi$1,095 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Golden residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
About Golden
Census-designated place in New Mexico, United States
Golden is a census-designated place (CDP) located between the towns of Cedar Crest and Madrid in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 census, Golden had a population of 19.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 6.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 6,637 ft
Questions about Golden
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Golden, NM a good place to live?
Golden has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.