2020 06 30-18.42.31.146-CDT, 2020
Navajo’s story
Navajo in pictures
Census counts: 2,097 in 2000, 1,942 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1955 on.
Explore the history →
NavajoNM
A town of 2,181.
Photo: Navajo Region Fire and Aviation Management Bureau of Indian Affairs · Public domain
Population
2,181
Census survey, 2020–24
Household income
$32K
median
Median age
23.6
years
Jobs based here
13
A commuter town
Is Navajo a good place to live?
Navajo’s weakest subject grade is a D− for incomes. 52% of residents live below the poverty line in Navajo, above both New Mexico’s towns (21%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 3 of New Mexico’s 156 towns score lower on incomes. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 88% of U.S. towns. Navajo’s trail density is 1.4 miles per square mile, above both the New Mexico town median (1.0) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Navajo has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
A growing town
Navajo has grown 18% from 2010 to 2020
1,645 counted in 2010 and 1,942 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Navajo grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Mexico), ordered by how far Navajo is from typical.
Jobs & income13 jobs based hereD−Open →HealthNear the bottom of U.S. towns on CDC estimates; Fort Defiance Indian Hospital 6.1 miles awayD−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4 of 20; 7.6% of households have no carDOpen →SchoolsCOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 33% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →Cost of livingHome prices against what area households earnC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Navajo: who provides what
Navajo is unincorporated, so McKinley County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerNavajo Tribal Utility Authority16.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesMcKinley CountyMcKinley 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 hereMcKinley County ClerkMcKinley County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code8732887328 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 Navajo.
HealthD−
Compared with most of New Mexico and the rest of the country, more of Navajo’s adults say their health is fair or poor
42% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Navajo. No town among the 74 in New Mexico we compare has a higher share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Navajo. 25% of adults report frequent physical distress in Navajo.
1%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Navajo | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 26% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 17% | 14% |
32 measures vs. New Mexico
2 better4 too close to call26 worse
| What stands out | Navajo | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.1% | 7.4% |
| Fewer adults with high cholesterol | 30% | 35.1% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 36.2% | 11.2% |
Fort Defiance Indian Hospital
6.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsC
Public schools in Navajo fall behind 71% of New Mexico districts
Its public schools are run by the Gallup school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
29%of NM districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navajo ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 310 | – |
| Navajo Pine HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 140 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NM on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
With 0.1 jobs for every working resident, most of Navajo’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Navajo for work: only 1% work in town. The median household income in Navajo is $32,000. The top destinations are Gallup (19%), Albuquerque (16%) and St.
1%work in town
| Navajo | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $32,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.1% | 14% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Navajo1%
Gallup19%
Albuquerque16%
St. Michaels9%
Fort Defiance6%
58 mi
median commute distance
13
jobs based in Navajo
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 12% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Navajo has four seasons and pleasant summers
Navajo has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. Navajo’s July high is 84°F.
84°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–43°
Spring31–61°
Summer51–82°
Fall34–64°
Sep 28
typical first frost
May 29
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
84°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Navajo
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 67% of U.S. communities.
33risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesLightning
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,435 acres
3.1 mi
of trails · 1.4 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 7 attractions →Canyon de Chelly National Monument and 3 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Navajo. Close and well known come first.
14 mi National MonumentCanyon de Chelly National Monument341K visitors a year
32 mi National Historic SiteHubbell Trading Post National Historic Site45K visitors a year
17 mi MuseumNavajo Nation Museum
17 mi Zoo & aquariumNavajo Nation Zoological and Botanical ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Canyon de Chelly National Monument: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site: Jsweida, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Navajo Nation Museum: Chris English, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Navajo Nation Zoological and Botanical Park: Taken by Staff of the Navajo Nation Zoo, Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Navajo
16pages on Navajo
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Navajo; the nearest are
Dine CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Tsaile, AZ28.9 mi$1,410 in-state tuitionUniversity of New Mexico-Gallup CampusCommunity college · Public · Gallup32.5 mi$2,906 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Navajo residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Navajo for work
Where Navajo’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
13jobs based in Navajo
1%of working residents work in town
58 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Navajo
Census-designated place in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States
Navajo is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) on the Navajo Nation in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,942 as of the 2020 census, up from 1,645 in 2010.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 7,113 ft
- ZIP code
- 87328