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New Mexico›Rio Arriba County
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LydenNM

A town in New Mexico.

Land area
2 sq mi

Is Lyden a good place to live?

Lyden’s midsummer high is 89°F, below the New Mexico town median (93°F) but above the median of U.S. towns (85°F). Lyden’s density of trails is 1.7 miles per square mile, above both New Mexico’s towns (1.0) and U.S. towns (0.4). We don’t grade Lyden yet; the figures below are still real.

Getting set up

Moving to Lyden: who provides what

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

PowerJemez Mountains Elec Coop15.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterDelancey Street Foundation water system11 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesRio Arriba CountyRio Arriba County provides services here
SchoolsEspañola Municipal 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 code8758287582 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 Lyden.

Natural hazards

Lyden stands out in New Mexico and nationally, with the FEMA risk score higher than most

Of the losses FEMA expects in Lyden, 83% come from inland flooding and 9% from wildfires. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 96% of U.S. communities.

96risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
96Very high riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingWildfire
Full pageLyden’s hazards pageOpen the full Hazards page
What it facesVery high riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters13 disaster declarations · Declared for the countyGet ready1.2 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

Expect four seasons and hot summers in Lyden

The January low here is 18°F.

11″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter19–47°
Spring34–67°
Summer55–87°
Fall36–68°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 10
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageLyden’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page
A year of weatherJuly highs 89°, January lows 18°Rain & snow11″ of snow a winter · 11 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+1.3° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

A smaller share of adults in Lyden have been diagnosed with depression than in the typical New Mexico or U.S. town

38% of adults have obesity in Lyden. Among 74 New Mexico towns, just 4 have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Lyden. CDC measures, 32 in all: Lyden beats New Mexico on 6 and trails on 2.

LydenNew Mexico townsU.S. towns
No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES)21%16%8.1%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)11%13%16%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)17%14%12%
Depression (CDC PLACES)19%23%23%
32 measures vs. New Mexico
6 better24 too close to call2 worse
What stands outLydenNM
Fewer smokers10.3%13.4%
Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth11.1%14.2%
More uninsured adults20.7%15.6%
Presbyterian Espanola Hospital
11.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
Full pageLyden’s health reportOpen the full Health report
Everyday habitsFewer smokersHospitals & doctors nearby11.5 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

Outdoors

0% of Lyden is conserved land

3.7 miles of trail.

0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,427 acres
3.7 mi
of trails · 1.7 per sq mi
Full pageLyden’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page
Trail map3.7 miles of trail, mappedPick a walkPick a walkConserved land0% conserved · 0 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Lyden?”

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

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Lyden

14pages on Lyden
The big questions
HealthBetter than NM on 6 of 32 CDC measuresNatural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 96% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
Outdoors4 mi of trails · 0% conserved landPlacesAttractions31 nearby · Poeh Museum 19 miLibraryP'Oe Tsawa Community LibraryCollegesNorthern New Mexico College is 11 mi away
The story
HistorySettled 1902Climate89° summer highs · 11″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

1 within 15 miles of the center of Lyden

Northern New Mexico CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Espanola11 mi$6,400 in-state tuition

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

About Lyden

Census-designated place in New Mexico, United States

Lyden is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 census, Lyden had a population of 250. The community is located on the west bank of the Rio Grande. It was formerly known as "El Bosque." A post office operated in Lyden between 1902 and 1957.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
2.2 sq mi
Elevation
5,735 ft

Questions about Lyden

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Lyden, NM a good place to live?

We don’t grade Lyden yet; the figures below are still real. A town in New Mexico.