Maxwell, New Mexico, 2026
Maxwell’s story
147 years in pictures
Census counts: 384 in 1920, a peak of 483 in 1940, 224 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1915 on.
- 1879Maxwell is settled
MaxwellNM
A town of 220, settled in 1879.
Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0
Population
220
2025 Census estimate · −1.8% since 2020
Median home value
$79K
Census ACS
Household income
$32K
median
Median age
29.3
years
Jobs based here
52
Balanced
Is Maxwell a good place to live?
Maxwell has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
220 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Maxwell: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Maxwell, and how to reach them.
PowerSpringer Electric Coop22.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMaxwell Water System1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers73% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Maxwell’s trash rules yet
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 hereColfax County ClerkColfax County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code8772887728 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 Maxwell.
Schools
The schools Maxwell’s kids attend
Two of its 3 schools are shown below, with the reason for each. The public schools here belong to the Maxwell school district.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maxwell ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 39 | A− |
| Maxwell HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 35 | D |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: very high risk in Maxwell, mostly wildfire
The risk rating from FEMA in Maxwell is 87 of 100. FEMA puts 53% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to wildfires, and 39% to inland flooding. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Maxwell once, in 2022.
87risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland flooding
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
The climate in Maxwell brings four seasons and pleasant summers
In Maxwell, the typical July afternoon high is 88°F, below the New Mexico town median (93°F) but above the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
21″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–49°
Spring32–67°
Summer53–86°
Fall34–69°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 17
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Maxwell stands out in New Mexico and nationally, with the median household income lower than most
In Maxwell, just over one in ten residents live below the poverty line, against 21% in New Mexico’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Jobs in Maxwell grew by 24 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 52. For working residents in the town, the share who work locally is 1.7%. The top destinations are Angel Fire (22%), Cimarron (8%) and Springer (7%).
2%work in town
| Maxwell | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $32,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.7% | 14% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 21% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Maxwell2%
Angel Fire22%
Cimarron8%
Springer7%
Taos7%
43 mi
median commute distance
52
jobs based in Maxwell
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Maxwell is
24% of Maxwell adults say their health is fair or poor. Among 74 New Mexico towns, just 5 have a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Maxwell.
| Maxwell | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 70% | 69% | 79% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 16% | 8.1% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 23% | 23% |
32 measures vs. New Mexico
1 better31 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Maxwell | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 11.2% | 14.2% |
Miners' Colfax Medical Center
23 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
0% of Maxwell is conserved land
0.5 miles of trail wind through 1 park or preserve. Maxwell’s trail density stands at 1.3 miles per square mile. Parks and preserves in the town: one, of 8 acres.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 285 acres
0.5 mi
of trails · 1.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Maxwell Park | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Maxwell
18pages on Maxwell
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Maxwell; the nearest are
Trinidad State CollegeCommunity college · Public · Trinidad, CO43.6 mi$4,608 in-state tuitionUniversity of New Mexico-Taos CampusCommunity college · Public · Ranchos de Taos63 mi$2,136 in-state tuitionNew Mexico Highlands UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Las Vegas75.4 mi$7,416 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Maxwell residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
About Maxwell
Village in New Mexico, United States
Maxwell is a village in Colfax County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 census, Maxwell had a population of 224. Maxwell was established in 1879 as a railroad town on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. It was named in honor of Lucien Maxwell, who provided the land for the original townsite from his Maxwell Land Grant.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 5,925 ft
- ZIP code
- 87728
Questions about Maxwell
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Maxwell, NM a good place to live?
Maxwell has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.