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The Playas handbook

Living in Playas, NM: what to set up and who to call

Playas has no town government of its own, so Hidalgo County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Animas Public Schools. Power in Playas comes from Columbus Electric Coop, a cooperative utility rather than a private company.

Which school will my kid attend?How do I register to vote?ZIP codes
Playas has no town government. It’s a census-designated place in Hidalgo County, so the county and regional agencies provide most services. This page answers what we can; the same answers appear on Playas’ town page under “Getting set up”.

I’m new in town

What to set up in Playas, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.

PowerColumbus Electric Coopcooperative utilityMore →Internet1 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsMore →Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Playas’ trash rules yetMore →SchoolAnimas Public SchoolsWhich school depends on grade and addressMore →Register to voteOnlineRules from vote.govMore →ZIP code88009Where people live, not P.O. boxesMore →
Home services

Power, water and internet

Who to call to start service at a new address in Playas.

Electricity

Power comes from Columbus Electric Coop

Columbus Electric Coop (Columbus Electric Coop, Inc), a cooperative utility, serves all of Playas.

Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.

Internet

1 home internet providers serve Playas

100% of 21 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 100% can get fiber.

ProviderTechnologyAddressesFastest (Mbps)
Valley Telecom GroupDSL, Fiber100%1,000/100

FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.

Trash & recycling

We don’t have Playas’ trash rules yet

Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Playas.

Trash, recycling and bulk pickupNot on filePlayas has no town government of its own, so look for trash and recycling rules on the county’s site.
Schools

Where your child goes to school

Public school districts and the school path by grade.

Playas kids go to
PK–4Animas Elementaryin Animas
7–12Animas 7-12 Schoolin Animas

Playas is in Animas Public Schools.

Test scores and every school: see Schools →

U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.

Government & voting

No town hall: the county runs things

Playas is unincorporated, so Hidalgo County is the local government.

Local governmentHidalgo CountyPlayas is a census-designated place: no town hall of its ownCensus
Who runs elections hereHidalgo County ClerkElections here are run by Hidalgo County (county election office). 300 South Shakespeare St., Lordsburg, NM 88045 · (575) 542-9213 · [email protected]FVAP, Jul 2021
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.govCheck your registration and polling placevoterportal.servis.sos.state.nm.usThe state’s voter lookup

Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jul 2021; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Aug 27, 2026.

ZIP codes & area codes

Playas is in ZIP code 88009

ZIP codes where Playas residents live, with the share of the town in each.

ZIPPost office nameShare of PlayasZIP’s residents in Playas
88009Playas, NM100%100%

Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.

Everyday places

Getting around, the ER and the library

One line each; the subject pages have the rest.

Nearest emergency roomMimbres Valley Medical CenterIn DemingGet a library cardLordsburg-Hidalgo Library208 East Third St. · (505) 542-9646

ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.

Questions about living in Playas

Who provides electricity in Playas?

Columbus Electric Coop (Columbus Electric Coop, Inc), a cooperative utility.

What internet providers serve Playas?

Valley Telecom Group (FCC, as of December 2025).

What ZIP codes are in Playas?

88009. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.

What school district is Playas in?

Animas Public Schools.

How do I register to vote in Playas?

In 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). Elections here are run by the Hidalgo County Clerk. Check your registration at voterportal.servis.sos.state.nm.us.

Sources & dates

Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.

  • Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
  • Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
  • ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
  • Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
  • Registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 27, 2026 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
  • Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
  • Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.