Amtrak's westbound Southwest Limited, Train 3, at Marmon, NM in April 1983, 1983
Mesita’s story
Mesita in pictures
The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1983 and 2 maps from 1957 on.
Explore the history →MesitaNM
A town of 514 in New Mexico.
Is Mesita a good place to live?
100% of households own their home in Mesita, above both New Mexico’s towns (70%) and U.S. towns (73%). Mesita has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Mesita stand out
Where Mesita beats most towns.
Small town
514 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Getting set up
Moving to Mesita: who provides what
Mesita is unincorporated, so Cibola County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerContinental Divide El Coop16.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesCibola CountyCibola 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 hereCibola County ClerkCibola County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code8702687026 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 Mesita.
Work & commute
A job hub: Mesita has 2.4 jobs for every working resident and draws in 220 commuters
The median commute is under 31 miles. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in Mesita rose by 145, to 230. Most working residents leave Mesita for work: only 10% work in town. The top destinations are Laguna (21%), Albuquerque (13%) and Grants (7%).
10%work in town
Where working residents work
In Mesita10%
Laguna21%
Albuquerque13%
Grants7%
Santa Fe5%
31 mi
median commute distance
230
jobs based in Mesita
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
High risk in Mesita, with inland flooding at the top
Mesita’s FEMA hazard score stands at 73 of 100. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 72% come from inland flooding and 11% from cold waves.
73risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesLightning
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Expect four seasons and hot summers in Mesita
The range runs from 20° on a January night to 91° on a July afternoon, with about 15 inches of snow a winter.
15″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–51°
Spring36–71°
Summer57–90°
Fall38–71°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 13
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
More of Mesita’s adults sleep under 7 hours than in the typical New Mexico or U.S. town
For adults in Mesita, the share who have obesity is 41%. Only 4 of the 74 New Mexico towns we compare have a higher share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Mesita. 20% of adults here have diabetes; 23% report frequent mental distress. Of 32 CDC measures, Mesita beats the New Mexico average on 1 and trails it on 22.
| Mesita | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 14% |
32 measures vs. New Mexico
1 better9 too close to call22 worse
| What stands out | Mesita | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 11.8% | 15.6% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 34.8% | 14.2% |
Cibola General Hospital
30.8 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 Mesita is conserved land
3.1 miles of trail. The trail network density for Mesita comes to 0.4 miles per square mile.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 4,769 acres
3.1 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Mesita
15pages on Mesita
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Mesita; the nearest are
New Mexico State University-GrantsCommunity college · Public · Grants31.8 mi$2,136 in-state tuitionUniversity of New MexicoUniversity or college · Public · Albuquerque39.7 mi$10,140 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Mesita residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
A job hub
Every workday, about 220 people come to Mesita for work
Where Mesita’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
230jobs based in Mesita
10%of working residents work in town
31 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Mesita
Census-designated place in New Mexico, United States
Mesita is a census-designated place (CDP) in Cibola County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 census, Mesita had a population of 793.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 11 sq mi
- Elevation
- 5,669 ft
Questions about Mesita
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Mesita, NM a good place to live?
Mesita has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.