NMMap-doton-TwinLakes, 2004
Twin Lakes’s story
Twin Lakes in pictures
Census counts: 1,069 in 2000, 1,004 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1963 on.
Explore the history →Twin LakesNM
In New Mexico, this town has 893 residents.
Population
893
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$57K
Census ACS
Household income
$26K
median
Median age
44.9
years
Jobs based here
1
A commuter town
Is Twin Lakes a good place to live?
50% of residents live below the poverty line in Twin Lakes, where New Mexico’s towns sit at 21% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Of the 74 New Mexico towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Twin Lakes. Twin Lakes’ trail network density is 1.9 miles per square mile, against 1.0 in New Mexico’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Twin Lakes has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
893 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Twin Lakes: who provides what
Twin Lakes is unincorporated, so McKinley County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerNavajo Tribal Utility Authority16.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesMcKinley CountyMcKinley 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 hereMcKinley County ClerkMcKinley County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code8737587375 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 Twin Lakes.
Work & commute
The median household income in Twin Lakes is lower than in the typical New Mexico or U.S. town
For half of commuters, work is under 19 miles away. The top destinations are Gallup (36%), Albuquerque (17%) and St. Michaels (8%). Twin Lakes’ typical journey to work is 23 minutes.
0%work in town
| Twin Lakes | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $26,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Twin Lakes0%
Gallup36%
Albuquerque17%
St. Michaels8%
Crownpoint6%
19 mi
median commute distance
1
jobs based in Twin Lakes
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
The climate in Twin Lakes brings four seasons and hot summers
The range runs from 18° on a January night to 89° on a July afternoon, with about 34 inches of snow a winter.
34″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–46°
Spring33–66°
Summer54–87°
Fall36–68°
Sep 28
typical first frost
May 31
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Twin Lakes stands out in New Mexico and nationally, with more of its adults who smoke cigarettes
Among 74 New Mexico towns, just 6 have a higher share of adults who get no exercise outside work than Twin Lakes. In Twin Lakes, just over one in ten adults binge drink. No town among the 74 in New Mexico we compare has a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Twin Lakes. The town does better than the New Mexico average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 24.
| Twin Lakes | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 26% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 14% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. New Mexico
1 better7 too close to call24 worse
| What stands out | Twin Lakes | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6% | 7.4% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 30.1% | 11.2% |
Gallup Indian Medical Center
12.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Twin Lakes has a moderate natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Expected losses in Twin Lakes break down as 65% from inland flooding and 22% from cold waves. FEMA expects more storm and flood damage in the town than in 57% of U.S. communities.
57risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesLightning
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 5,746 acres
17 mi
of trails · 1.9 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 10 attractions →Chaco Culture National Historical Park and 4 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Twin Lakes. Close and well known come first.
37 mi National Historical ParkChaco Culture National Historical Park30K visitors a year
34 mi National MonumentCanyon de Chelly National Monument341K visitors a year
20 mi LandmarkFort Wingate
16 mi MuseumNavajo Nation Museum
16 mi Zoo & aquariumNavajo Nation Zoological and Botanical ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Chaco Culture National Historical Park: National Park Service (United States), Public domain · Canyon de Chelly National Monument: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fort Wingate: Elias Olcott Beaman / James Fennemore / John Karl Hillers, Public domain · Navajo Nation Museum: Chris English, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Navajo Nation Zoological and Botanical Park: Taken by Staff of the Navajo Nation Zoo, Public domain
Fort_Wingate,_New_Mexico_(shows_the_fort_and_houses),_1871_-_1878_-_NARA_-_517785.jpg){kind=link}
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Twin Lakes
16pages on Twin Lakes
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Twin Lakes
About 3 of every 100 Twin Lakes residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Twin Lakes for work
Where Twin Lakes’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1jobs based in Twin Lakes
0%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Twin Lakes
Census-designated place in New Mexico, United States
Twin Lakes is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,004 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 9.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 6,375 ft
Questions about Twin Lakes
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Twin Lakes, NM a good place to live?
Twin Lakes has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.