San Mateo, New Mexico Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 602, San Mateo's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

San Mateo is a small community located in New Mexico, within Cibola County. The total population is 602. It ranks as the 215th most populous out of 495 Census-designated places in New Mexico.

Age Demographics

The median age in San Mateo is 25.6 years. This is 35% lower than the state median of 39.4 years. With 34.9% of the population under 18, San Mateo has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in San Mateo is $77,745. This is 21% higher than the state median of $64,059. It is also 4% lower than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in San Mateo. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The survey records no unemployed residents in San Mateo, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 43% higher than the state average of 70.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

San Mateo is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 37.9%.

Education

24.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 21% lower than the state rate of 31.0%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 23.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for San Mateo, New Mexico is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against New Mexico state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 495 Census-designated places in New Mexico. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.