La MaderaNM
A town settled in 1906, now home to 171 people.
Is La Madera a good place to live?
100% of residents live below the poverty line in La Madera, above both New Mexico’s towns (21%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). No town among the 74 in New Mexico we compare has a higher share of homes lived in by their owners than La Madera. 66% of the land in La Madera is conserved, above both New Mexico’s towns (3.9%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Carson National Forest, at 1,798 acres with 1 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. La Madera has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
171 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to La Madera: who provides what
La Madera is unincorporated, so Rio Arriba 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 La Madera.
La Madera keeps nearly a third of its land conserved
Among 71 New Mexico towns, just 6 have a lower density of trails than La Madera. 1.0 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Carson National Forest | 1 mi | 1,798 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The FEMA risk score in La Madera is higher than in most of New Mexico or the rest of the country
Of the losses FEMA expects in La Madera, 78% come from inland flooding and 13% from wildfires. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 94% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
A smaller share of adults in La Madera have been diagnosed with depression than in the typical New Mexico or U.S. town
Among adults in La Madera, 69% had a checkup this year. In La Madera, 14% of adults report frequent mental distress.
| La Madera | Typical New Mexico town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 23% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 69% | 69% | 79% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 16% | 8.1% |
| What stands out | La Madera | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 10.4% | 14.2% |
| Fewer adults with COPD | 5.3% | 6.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about La Madera
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of La Madera; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 La Madera residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
About La Madera
Census-designated place in New Mexico, United States
La Madera is a census-designated place in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 154 as of the 2010 census. La Madera has a post office with ZIP Code 87539. La Madera used to be a thriving lumber town in the 1900s which since has had a decline in population.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 4.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 6,532 ft
- ZIP code
- 87539
Questions about La Madera
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is La Madera, NM a good place to live?
La Madera has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.