Exit 104 to Cubero, Budville, and Seama, New Mexico, I-40 Westbound, 2010
Seama’s story
121 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1957 on.
- 1905Seama is settled
SeamaNM
A town of 538, settled in 1905.
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0
Is Seama a good place to live?
72% of residents live below the poverty line in Seama, above both New Mexico’s towns (21%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Of the 74 New Mexico towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Seama. Seama has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
538 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
ParajeCuberoNorth Acomita VillageSeama
Getting set up
Moving to Seama: who provides what
Seama is unincorporated, so Cibola County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerContinental Divide El Coop16.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesCibola CountyCibola 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 hereCibola County ClerkCibola County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code8700787007 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 Seama.
Work & commute
Most of Seama’s workers head elsewhere: there are 0.1 jobs for each of them
The top destinations are Laguna (17%), Albuquerque (12%) and Skyline-Ganipa (12%). The median commute is under 20 miles.
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In Seama0%
Laguna17%
Albuquerque12%
Skyline-Ganipa12%
Mesita12%
20 mi
median commute distance
4
jobs based in Seama
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Top of a high hazard risk in Seama: inland flooding
In Seama, the risk rating from FEMA is 73 of 100. Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 72% come from inland flooding and 11% from cold waves.
73risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesLightning
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Seama: four seasons and hot summers
Seama’s peak summer temperature is 90°F, below the New Mexico town median (93°F) but above the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
15″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–50°
Spring34–69°
Summer55–88°
Fall37–70°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 13
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
A larger share of adults sleep under 7 hours in Seama than in most of New Mexico or the rest of the country
Among 74 New Mexico towns, just 4 have a higher share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Seama. Seama: 32% of adults get no exercise outside work. Of 32 CDC measures, Seama beats the New Mexico average on 1 and trails it on 21.
| Seama | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 26% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 14% |
32 measures vs. New Mexico
1 better10 too close to call21 worse
| What stands out | Seama | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 11.5% | 15.6% |
| More smokers | 26.5% | 13.4% |
Cibola General Hospital
18 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
0% of Seama is conserved land
3.9 miles of trail. The trail density for Seama comes to 0.6 miles per square mile.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 4,135 acres
3.9 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Seama
14pages on Seama
The big questions
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Seama; the nearest are
New Mexico State University-GrantsCommunity college · Public · Grants18.9 mi$2,136 in-state tuitionUniversity of New MexicoUniversity or college · Public · Albuquerque52 mi$10,140 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Seama residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Seama for work
Where Seama’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
4jobs based in Seama
0%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Seama
Census-designated place in New Mexico, United States
Seama is a census-designated place (CDP) in Cibola County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 census, Seama had a population of 478.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 6.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 5,978 ft
Questions about Seama
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Seama, NM a good place to live?
Seama has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.