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New Mexico›San Juan County

Navajo DamNM

Home to 269 people, the town was settled in 1959.

Is Navajo Dam a good place to live?

42% of residents live below the poverty line in Navajo Dam, above both New Mexico’s towns (21%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). No town among the 74 in New Mexico we compare has a higher median age than Navajo Dam. 65% of the land in Navajo Dam is conserved, against 3.9% in New Mexico’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Rattlesnake Canyon Wildlife Area, at 3,790 acres with 1.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Navajo Dam has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

269 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
BlancoBlancoNavajo Dam

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Navajo Dam.

Outdoors

Conserved land covers nearly a third of Navajo Dam

64.5%conserved

12 miles of trail wind through 6 parks and preserves. For Navajo Dam, the trail density is 0.9 miles per square mile.

64.5%
conserved · 5,544 of 8,590 acres
12 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Rattlesnake Canyon Wildlife Area1.5 mi3,790
2. Simon Canyon Area of Critical Environmental Concern0.9 mi102
3. Gobernador Wash Riparian Area0.9 mi49

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

Natural hazards

Top of a high hazard risk in Navajo Dam: inland flooding

78risk score of 100

Expected losses in Navajo Dam break down as 83% from inland flooding and 6% from cold waves. Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 78% of U.S. communities.

FEMA risk score
78High riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingCold waves

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

Four seasons and hot summers: that is Navajo Dam’s year

8″snow a winter

Navajo Dam’s peak summer temperature stands at 91°F.

Typical low → high °F

Winter19–44°
Spring34–66°
Summer55–89°
Fall37–67°
Oct 19
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commute

A job hub: Navajo Dam has 1.4 jobs for every working resident and draws in 148 commuters

6%work in town

Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in Navajo Dam rose by 142, to 155. Commuting out is the norm here: 6% of working residents work locally. The top destinations are Farmington (29%), Bloomfield (9%) and Albuquerque (7%). For half of commuters, work is under 27 miles away.

Where working residents work

In Navajo Dam6%
Farmington29%
Bloomfield9%
Albuquerque7%
Lee Acres7%
27 mi
median commute distance
155
jobs based in Navajo Dam
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Health

Navajo Dam stands out in New Mexico and nationally: a smaller share of its adults binge drink

Nearly a fifth of Navajo Dam adults report frequent physical distress. Only one of the 74 New Mexico towns we compare has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Navajo Dam. Also worth knowing: on the CDC’s 32 measures, Navajo Dam is ahead of New Mexico on 10 and behind on 11.

Navajo DamNew Mexico townsU.S. towns
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)10%13%16%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)44%35%35%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)17%14%12%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)19%17%14%
32 measures vs. New Mexico
10 better11 too close to call11 worse
What stands outNavajo DamNM
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity11.5%16.5%
Fewer uninsured adults10.9%15.6%
More adults with COPD11.8%6.6%
Animas Surgical Hospital
29.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Navajo Dam

16pages on Navajo Dam
Getting set up

Moving to Navajo Dam: who provides what

Navajo Dam is unincorporated, so San Juan County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerJemez Mountains Elec Coop15.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterNavajo Dam Domestic Water Consumers Inc5 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesSan Juan CountySan Juan County provides services here
SchoolsBloomfield Municipal SchoolsAztec Municipal Schools2 districts serve Navajo Dam; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 hereSan Juan County ClerkSan Juan County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP codes87419, 8741287419 87% · 87412 13%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 27, 2026.

Get outside

12 miles of trails in Navajo Dam

64.5% of the town is conserved land, across 6 parks and preserves.

Map of trails and conserved land in Navajo DamConservedTrails
1
Rattlesnake Canyon Wildlife Area1.5 mi of trails · 3,790 acres
Directions
2
Simon Canyon Area of Critical Environmental Concern0.9 mi of trails · 102 acres
Directions
3
Gobernador Wash Riparian Area0.9 mi of trails · 49 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Navajo Dam; the nearest are

About Navajo Dam

Census-designated place in New Mexico, United States

Navajo Dam is a census-designated place in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 253 as of the 2020 census. Navajo Dam has a post office with ZIP code 87419. The community is located in the vicinity of Navajo Dam.

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

Area
2.0 sq mi
Elevation
5,718 ft
ZIP code
87419

Questions about Navajo Dam

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Navajo Dam, NM a good place to live?

Navajo Dam has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Navajo Dam is in here

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