Bernalillo County, New Mexico

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Not to be confused with Bernalillo, New Mexico.

Bernalillo County
U.S. county
Bernalillo County Courthouse in Albuquerque
Bernalillo County Courthouse in Albuquerque
Flag of Bernalillo County
Flag
Official seal of Bernalillo County
Seal
Map of New Mexico highlighting Bernalillo County
Location within the U.S. state of New Mexico
Map of the United States highlighting New Mexico
New Mexico's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°03′N 106°40′W / 35.05°N 106.67°W / 35.05; -106.67Coordinates: 35°03′N 106°40′W / 35.05°N 106.67°W / 35.05; -106.67
Country United States
State New Mexico
Founded1852
SeatAlbuquerque
Largest cityAlbuquerque
Area
 • Total1,167 sq mi (3,020 km2)
 • Land1,161 sq mi (3,010 km2)
 • Water6.4 sq mi (17 km2)  0.5%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
679,121
 • Density571/sq mi (220/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional districts1st, 2nd, 3rd
Websitewww.bernco.gov

Bernalillo County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of New Mexico.[1] As of the 2010 census, the population was 662,564.[2] The county seat, Albuquerque,[3] is the most populous city in New Mexico.

Bernalillo County is the central county of the Albuquerque, NM Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History[]

Bernalillo County was one of seven partidos established during Mexican rule; in 1852, within two years of the creation of the New Mexico Territory, Bernalillo became one of that territory's nine original counties.[1] Bernalillo County was named for the town of Bernalillo, which is currently no longer part of the county.[4] The towns of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque and Bernalillo were previously the county seats, but the capital was finally established in Albuquerque in 1883.[5] In 1876, it absorbed Santa Ana County.

In 1906, years after the Land Revision Act of 1891 provided for the setting aside of forest reserves, the parts of Bernalillo County currently known as Cibola National Forest were established as reserves.[6]

USS LST-306, a World War II tank landing ship that participated in the Allied invasion of Italy, was renamed as USS Bernalillo County in 1955. Sandia Mountain Wilderness was created in 1978 and the Petroglyph National Monument was established in June 1990.

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,167 square miles (3,020 km2), of which 1,161 square miles (3,010 km2) is land and 6.4 square miles (17 km2) (0.5%) is water.[7] It is the third-smallest county in New Mexico by area.

Bernalillo County is in central New Mexico, and "stretches from the area (just east of the Sandia Mountains) to the Volcano Cliffs on the west mesa."[8]

Adjacent counties[]

  • Sandoval County - north
  • Santa Fe County - east
  • Torrance County - east
  • Valencia County - south
  • Cibola County - west

National protected areas[]

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18507,751—
18608,76913.1%
18707,591−13.4%
188017,225126.9%
189020,91321.4%
190028,63036.9%
191023,606−17.5%
192029,85526.5%
193045,43052.2%
194069,39152.7%
1950145,673109.9%
1960262,19980.0%
1970315,77420.4%
1980419,70032.9%
1990480,57714.5%
2000556,67815.8%
2010662,56419.0%
2019 (est.)679,121[9]2.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2019[2]
Median Household Income by Census Tract Block Group across Albuquerque metro.

2000 census[]

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 556,678 people, 220,936 households, and 141,178 families living in the county, making Bernalillo the most populous county in the state.[1] The population density was 477 people per square mile (184/km2). There were 239,074 housing units at an average density of 205 per square mile (79/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 70.75% White, 2.77% Black or African American, 4.16% Native American, 1.93% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 16.07% from other races, and 4.22% from two or more races. 41.96% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 220,936 households, out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.00% were married couples living together, 12.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.10% were non-families. 28.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.30% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 11.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,788, and the median income for a family was $46,613. Males had a median income of $33,720 versus $26,318 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,790. About 10.20% of families and 13.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.90% of those under age 18 and 9.10% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census[]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 662,564 people, 266,000 households, and 164,104 families living in the county.[15] The population density was 570.8 inhabitants per square mile (220.4/km2). There were 284,234 housing units at an average density of 244.9 per square mile (94.6/km2).[16] The racial makeup of the county was 69.4% white, 4.8% American Indian, 3.0% black or African American, 2.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 16.0% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 47.9% of the population.[15] The largest ancestry groups were:[17]

  • 27.6% Mexican
  • 18.5% Spanish
  • 11.6% German
  • 8.5% Irish
  • 7.6% English
  • 3.4% Italian
  • 2.6% American
  • 2.3% French
  • 1.9% Scottish
  • 1.7% Scotch-Irish
  • 1.7% Polish
  • 1.3% Norwegian
  • 1.2% Swedish
  • 1.1% Dutch

Of the 266,000 households, 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.4% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.3% were non-families, and 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.07. The median age was 35.8 years.[15]

The median income for a household in the county was $47,481 and the median income for a family was $59,809. Males had a median income of $42,189 versus $34,432 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,143. About 11.8% of families and 15.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.8% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.[18]

Politics[]

County Commission[]

District Name Party Took office
1 Debbie O'Malley Democrat 2012
2 Steven Michael Quezada Democrat 2016
3 Adriann Barboa Democrat 2021
4 Walt Benson Republican 2021
5 Democrat 2019

County offices[]

Office Name Party Took office
Sheriff Manuel Gonzales III Democrat 2015
Assessor Tanya R. Giddings Democrat 2012
Clerk Linda Stover Democrat 2016
Treasurer Nancy M. Bearce Democrat 2016
Probate Judge Cristy J. Carbón-Gaul Democrat 2019

New Mexico Senate[]

District Name Party Took office
9 John Sapien Democrat 2009
10 John Ryan Republican 2005
11 Linda M. Lopez Democrat 1997
12 Jerry Ortiz y Pino Democrat 2005
13 Bill B. O'Neill Democrat 2013
14 Michael Padilla Democrat 2013
15 Daniel Ivey-Soto Democrat 2013
16 Cisco McSorley Democrat 1997
17 Mimi Stewart Democrat 2009
18 Lisa Torraco Republican 2013
19 Sue Wilson Beffort Republican 1997

Congressional[]

Melanie Stansbury (D) is the representative for the 1st Congressional District.

Presidential[]

In presidential elections prior to 1992, Bernalillo County primarily voted for Republican Party candidates, only supporting three Democratic candidates in six elections total. (Franklin D. Roosevelt four times, Harry S. Truman and Lyndon B. Johnson once each). From 1992 on, the county has backed Democratic Party candidates in every presidential election. While the margins were relatively narrow from 1992 to 2004, since then the county has tilted strongly Democratic similar to many urban counties nationwide.

Presidential election results

Communities[]

Map of Bernalillo County New Mexico.svg

A local toponymic oddity is that the town of Bernalillo, north of Albuquerque, is not actually in Bernalillo County. When established in 1852, the county was named for the town of Bernalillo, which was incorporated into Sandoval County in 1903.[20][21]

Bracketed number refers to location on map, right

Cities[]

  • Albuquerque (3) (county seat)

Town[]

Villages[]

Census-designated places[]

Unincorporated communities[]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Bernalillo County Archived October 8, 2010, at the Wayback Machine from the website of the New Mexico Office of the State Historian
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ "History of Bernalillo County". www.bernco.gov. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  5. ^ "Bernalillo County | Mid-Region Council of Governments, NM". www.mrcog-nm.gov. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  6. ^ Southwestern Region Initial Forest Reserves and National Forests, from a U.S. Forest Service website
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 1, 2015. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  8. ^ Bernalillo County Extension Office from a New Mexico State University website
  9. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  10. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  12. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  13. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  14. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  16. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  17. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  18. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  19. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  20. ^ "History of Bernalillo County". www.bernco.gov. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  21. ^ "Bernalillo is now the county seat". Santa Fe New Mexican. May 8, 1905. p. 8. Retrieved April 28, 2017 – via Library of Congress.

External links[]

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