Cowboy at Rodeo, 1940
Quemado’s story
140 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1940 and 2 maps from 1967 on.
- 1886Quemado is settled
QuemadoNM
100 people live in this town, settled in 1886.
Photo: Russell Lee · Public domain
Population
100
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$245K
+12.9% in a year
Median age
54.4
years
Land area
2 sq mi
Is Quemado a good place to live?
Quemado’s median age is 54.4 years, above both New Mexico’s towns (37.2 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). Of the 74 New Mexico towns we compare, none has a higher share of homes lived in by their owners than Quemado. Quemado has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
100 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Getting set up
Moving to Quemado: who provides what
Quemado is unincorporated, so Catron County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSocorro Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterQuemado Mutual Water & Swa1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet1 providers82% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesCatron CountyCatron 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 hereCatron County ClerkCatron County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code8782987829 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 Quemado.
Schools
The schools Quemado’s kids attend
The public schools here belong to the Quemado school district. Its two schools are below. Public school enrollment in the town: 154 students across 2 schools.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quemado ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 73 | – |
| Quemado HighLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 81 | B |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Very high risk in Quemado, with wildfire at the top
Compared with 83% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Quemado is higher. FEMA puts 46% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to wildfires, and 38% to inland flooding.
83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland floodingLightning
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
Homes in Quemado are worth about $245K, by Zillow’s estimate
Home values are up 13% over the year to September 2026.
$245KZillow home value
Typical home value
Quemado$245K
New Mexico$316K
+12.9%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Quemado: four seasons and pleasant summers
Expect July afternoons of 86° and January nights of 14°, with about 18 inches of snow a winter.
18″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–49°
Spring27–67°
Summer48–85°
Fall31–68°
Sep 29
typical first frost
Jun 1
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Quemado is
Just over a fifth of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Quemado. CDC measures, 32 in all: Quemado beats New Mexico on 8 and trails on 4. Also worth knowing: only 6 of the 74 New Mexico towns we compare have a lower share of adults 18 to 64 who have no health insurance than Quemado. Two figures for adults in the town: 73% had a checkup this year, 40% have high blood pressure.
| Quemado | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 35% | 33% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 69% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. New Mexico
8 better20 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Quemado | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 8.1% | 15.6% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.9% | 16.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10% | 7.4% |
White Mountain Regional Medical Center
47 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 Quemado
12pages on Quemado
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Quemado; the nearest are
New Mexico State University-GrantsCommunity college · Public · Grants68.3 mi$2,136 in-state tuitionNew Mexico Institute of Mining and TechnologyUniversity or college · Public · Socorro93.4 mi$9,476 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Quemado residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
About Quemado
Census-designated place in New Mexico, United States
Quemado is a census-designated place in Catron County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 census, Quemado had a population of 163. Walter De Maria's 1977 art installation, The Lightning Field, is between Quemado and Pie Town, New Mexico.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 6,877 ft
- ZIP code
- 87829
Questions about Quemado
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Quemado, NM a good place to live?
Quemado has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.