Playas, New Mexico Panoramic, 2024
Playas’s story
114 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2024 and 2 maps from 1918 on.
- 1912Playas is settled
PlayasNM
A town of 16, settled in 1912.
Is Playas a good place to live?
Playas’ typical journey to work is 9 minutes, below both the New Mexico town median (23 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only one of the 74 New Mexico towns we compare has a lower age of the median resident than Playas. Playas has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
16 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Getting set up
Moving to Playas: who provides what
Playas is unincorporated, so Hidalgo County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerColumbus Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
Internet1 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesHidalgo CountyHidalgo 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 hereHidalgo County ClerkHidalgo County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code8800988009 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 Playas.
Natural hazards
Top of a very high hazard risk in Playas: drought
Playas’ natural-hazard score from FEMA stands at 87 of 100, against 66 of 100 in New Mexico’s towns and 44 of 100 across U.S. towns. Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 37% come from drought and 33% from inland flooding.
87risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter28–59°
Spring42–78°
Summer63–93°
Fall46–77°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Playas
11pages on Playas
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Playas; the nearest are
Western New Mexico UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Silver City61.5 mi$7,856 in-state tuitionNew Mexico State University-Dona AnaCommunity college · Public · Las Cruces109.6 mi$2,322 in-state tuition
College town 44 of every 100 Playas residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
About Playas
Census-designated place in Hidalgo, New Mexico, United States
Playas is a census-designated place (CDP) in Hidalgo County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 census, Playas had a population of 25.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 4,495 ft
- ZIP code
- 88009
Questions about Playas
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Playas, NM a good place to live?
Playas has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.