NMMap-doton-Yah-ta-hey, 2004
Yah-ta-hey’s story
Yah-ta-hey in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004.
Explore the history →Yah-ta-heyNM
A town of 507.
Population
507
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$28K
Census ACS
Household income
$44K
median
Median age
50.0
years
Jobs based here
116
Balanced
Is Yah-ta-hey a good place to live?
Yah-ta-hey’s concentration of trails is 1.8 miles per square mile, above both New Mexico’s towns (1.0) and U.S. towns (0.4). Yah-ta-hey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
507 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Rock SpringsYah-ta-hey
Getting set up
Moving to Yah-ta-hey: who provides what
Yah-ta-hey is unincorporated, so McKinley County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerNavajo Tribal Utility Authority16.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterYah Ta Hey W & Sd water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
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 Yah-ta-hey.
Natural hazards
In Yah-ta-hey, the FEMA risk score runs lower than in the typical New Mexico or U.S. town
FEMA puts 42% of Yah-ta-hey’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 38% to cold waves. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 96% of U.S. communities.
4risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesLightning
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Yah-ta-hey
Summer afternoons peak near 88° in July, and January nights bottom out around 18°; snowfall runs to about 21 inches a winter. The seasons in Yah-ta-hey: chilly winters, warm summers, with very little rain.
21″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–46°
Spring33–65°
Summer54–86°
Fall36–67°
Oct 7
typical first frost
May 11
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
The average trip to work in Yah-ta-hey is longer than in most of New Mexico or the rest of the country
26% of residents live below the poverty line in Yah-ta-hey. Since 2013, Yah-ta-hey has lost 179 jobs, to 116 in 2023. Its median household income is $44,000, where New Mexico’s towns sit at $55,000 and U.S. towns at $80,000. Half of commuters travel less than 19 miles.
0%work in town
| Yah-ta-hey | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 47 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 26% | 21% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $44,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Yah-ta-hey0%
Gallup39%
Albuquerque13%
St. Michaels7%
Iyanbito7%
19 mi
median commute distance
116
jobs based in Yah-ta-hey
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Yah-ta-hey is
Among 74 New Mexico towns, just 3 have a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Yah-ta-hey. Against the New Mexico average, Yah-ta-hey comes out ahead on 1 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 23. Also worth knowing: for adults in the town, the share who smoke cigarettes is 29%.
| Yah-ta-hey | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 26% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. New Mexico
1 better8 too close to call23 worse
| What stands out | Yah-ta-hey | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.8% | 7.4% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 36.2% | 14.2% |
Gallup Indian Medical Center
9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 2,193 acres
6.1 mi
of trails · 1.8 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 Yah-ta-hey. Close and well known come first.
38 mi National Historical ParkChaco Culture National Historical Park30K visitors a year
36 mi National MonumentCanyon de Chelly National Monument341K visitors a year
18 mi LandmarkFort Wingate
15 mi MuseumNavajo Nation Museum
15 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 Yah-ta-hey
16pages on Yah-ta-hey
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Yah-ta-hey
About 1 of every 100 Yah-ta-hey residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
About Yah-ta-hey
Census-designated place in New Mexico, United States
Yah-ta-hey (Navajo: Tʼáá Bííchʼį́įdii) is a census-designated place (CDP) in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 census, the CDP population was 757, up from 590 in 2010. The English name for this place is an approximation of the Navajo greeting yáʼátʼééh, though the actual Navajo name means "just like a devil", the nickname for Anglo storekeeper J. B. Tanner. Tanner operated the trading post located here, and was criticized by the local community for his greedy business practices. The same name is used for Aneth, Utah, where Tanner also worked.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 4.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 6,568 ft
- ZIP code
- 87375
Questions about Yah-ta-hey
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Yah-ta-hey, NM a good place to live?
Yah-ta-hey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.