Sundance, New Mexico Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 585, Sundance'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

Sundance is a small community located in New Mexico, within McKinley County. The total population is 585. It ranks as the 220th most populous out of 495 Census-designated places in New Mexico.

Age Demographics

The median age in Sundance is 45.7 years. This is 16% higher than the state median of 39.4 years. Only 12.5% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Sundance is $32,000. This is 50% lower than the state median of $64,059. It is also 60% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 45.1%. This is 153% 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 10.7%. This is 80% higher than the state rate of 6.0%. The median home value is $52,800. Housing costs are 79% lower than the state median of $248,100. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.6x, Sundance is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 92.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 32% higher than the state average of 70.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

Sundance is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 1.2%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 36.0%. The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 1.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (8.4%) is well below the state average of 48.4%.

Education

13.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 57% 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 81.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Sundance, 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.