Santa Cruz, New Mexico Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 228, Santa Cruz'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

Santa Cruz is a small community located in New Mexico, within Santa Fe County. The total population is 228. It ranks as the 350th most populous out of 495 Census-designated places in New Mexico.

Age Demographics

The median age in Santa Cruz is 34.4 years. This is 13% lower than the state median of 39.4 years. With 30.3% of the population under 18, Santa Cruz has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Santa Cruz is $33,750. This is 47% lower than the state median of $64,059. It is also 58% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 31.1%. This is 75% higher than the state poverty rate of 17.8%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 2.2%. This is 64% lower than the state rate of 6.0%. The median home value is $253,100. Housing costs are 2% higher than the state median of $248,100. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.5x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 27.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 60% lower than the state average of 70.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

Santa Cruz has a predominantly Hispanic or Latino population, comprising 86.4% of all residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 6.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (6.6%) is well below the state average of 36.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (86.4% vs 48.4%).

Education

8.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 73% lower than the state rate of 31.0%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 77.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Santa Cruz, 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.