McGaffeyNM
A town in New Mexico.
Is McGaffey a good place to live?
Among 74 New Mexico towns, just one has a lower July high than McGaffey. 74% of the land in McGaffey is conserved, where New Mexico’s towns sit at 3.9% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Cibola National Forest, at 844 acres with 4.9 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. We don’t grade McGaffey yet; the figures below are still real.
Moving to McGaffey: who provides what
McGaffey is unincorporated, so McKinley 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 McGaffey.
McGaffey keeps nearly a third of its land conserved
The trail network density for McGaffey is 2.7 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cibola National Forest | 4.9 mi | 844 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
In McGaffey, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
The January low here in the town is 16°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
A larger share of adults in McGaffey smoke cigarettes than in the typical New Mexico or U.S. town
Against the New Mexico average, McGaffey comes out ahead on 1 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 22. Among adults here, 41% sleep under 7 hours. Only 2 of the 74 New Mexico towns we compare have a higher share of adults who report frequent mental distress than McGaffey.
| McGaffey | Typical New Mexico town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 26% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 14% |
| What stands out | McGaffey | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.5% | 7.4% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 25.4% | 11% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
McGaffey faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
FEMA puts 62% of McGaffey’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 17% to wildfires. Expected damage from storms and floods is lower here than in 57% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Everything we know about McGaffey
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of McGaffey
About McGaffey
Census-designated place in New Mexico, United States
McGaffey is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 0 as of the 2020 census. Despite there being no permanent residents in McGaffey, the community has about a dozen cabins with seasonal occupants. There is an active quarry about 2 miles south of McGaffey, and there are a few cattle ranches nearby. Additionally, McGaffey is a popular recreation spot, with the nearby McGaffey and Quaking Aspen campgrounds, fishing at McGaffey Lake, and numerous hiking trails.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 7,795 ft
Questions about McGaffey
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is McGaffey, NM a good place to live?
We don’t grade McGaffey yet; the figures below are still real. A town in New Mexico.