# McKinley County, New Mexico

McKinley County is a county in the northwestern section of the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was 72,902. Its county seat is Gallup. The county was created in 1901 and named for President William McKinley. McKinley County is Gallup's micropolitan statistical area.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 5,455 square miles (14,130 km$^2$), of which 5.5 sq mi (14 km$^2$) (0.1%) are covered by water.

### Adjacent counties

* San Juan County - north
* Sandoval County - east
* Cibola County - south
* Apache County, Arizona - west

### Major highways

* Interstate 40
* U.S. Route 491
* New Mexico State Road 264
* New Mexico State Road 371
* New Mexico State Road 602

### National protected areas

* Chaco Culture National Historical Park (part)
* Cibola National Forest (part)

## Demographics
### 2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 74,798 people, 21,476 households, and 16,686 families were living in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (5.4 people/km$^2$). The 26,718 housing units had an average density of 5 units per square mile (1.9 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 74.72% Native American, 16.39% White, 0.46% Asian, 0.40% African American, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 5.47% from other races, and 2.52% from two or more races. About 12.40% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.
Of the 21,476 households, 46.0% had children under 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 22.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were not families. About 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.44, and the average family size was 3.99.
In the county, the age distribution was 38.0% under 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.50 males. For every 100.0 females 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,005, and for a family was $26,806. Males had a median income of $26,963 versus $21,014 for females. The per capita income for the county was $9,872. About 31.9% of families and 36.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.3% of those under 18 and 31.5% of those 65 or over. The county's per capita income makes it one of the poorest counties in the United States.
McKinley County is one of only 38 county-level census divisions of the United States where the most spoken language is not English and one of only three where it is neither English nor Spanish; 45.75% of the population speak Navajo at home, followed by English at 38.87%, Zuñi at 9.03%, and Spanish at 5.72%.

### 2010 census

As of the 2010 census, 71,492 people, 21,968 households, and 16,219 families resided in the county. The population density was 13.1 inhabitants per square mile (5.1/km$^2$). The 25,813 housing units had an average density of 4.7/sq mi (1.8/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 75.5% Native American, 15.2% White, 0.8% Asian, 0.5% Black or African American, 4.9% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 13.3% of the population.
Of the 21,968 households, 46.2% had children under 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 24.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 26.2% were not families, and 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 3.22, and the average family size was 3.82. The median age was 30.7 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,335 and for a family was $37,345. Males had a median income of $31,527 versus $26,236 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,932. About 26.6% of families and 33.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.0% of those under 18 and 31.3% of those 65 or over.

## Communities
### City

* Gallup (county seat)

### Unincorporated communities

* Buffalo Springs
* Chi Chil Tah
* Rehoboth
* Smith Lake
* Whitehorse

### Census-designated places

For purposes of census-data collection, organization and analysis, the United States Census Bureau has devised 44 census-designated places since 1980 within McKinley County.
* Becenti
* Black Hat
* Black Rock
* Bluewater
* Borrego Pass
* Brimhall Nizhoni
* Catalpa Canyon
* Church Rock
* Continental Divide
* Crestview
* Crownpoint
* Crystal (part)
* Fort Wingate
* Gamerco
* Haystack
* Homer C Jones
* Iyanbito
* Jamestown
* Manuelito
* McGaffey
* Nakaibito
* Navajo
* Ojo Encino
* Pinedale
* Pinehaven
* Prewitt
* Pueblo Pintado
* Purty Rock
* Ramah
* Red Rock Ranch
* Rock Springs
* Sagar
* Sundance
* Thoreau
* Timberlake (part)
* Tohatchi
* Tse Bonito
* Twin Lakes
* Vanderwagen
* White Cliffs
* Williams Acres
* Yah-ta-hey
* Zuni Pueblo

## Education

Locally controlled public schools in most of McKinley County are run by Gallup-McKinley County Schools, the local school district, and include Crownpoint High School, Gallup Central High School, Gallup High School, Hiroshi Miyamura High School, Navajo Pine High School, Ramah Middle / High School, Thoreau High School, Tohatchi High School, and Tse Yi Gai High School. Areas in and around the Zuni reservation are in the Zuni Public School District, which operates Zuni High School.
Two Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) boarding schools are in the Fort Wingate area: Wingate Elementary School, and Wingate High School. The BIE also operates a K-8 school, Pueblo Pintado Community School, in Pueblo Pintado, and a K-6 school, Baca /Dlo'Ay Azhi Community School. Additionally, a tribal school affiliated with the BIE, Ch'ooshgai Community School, is located in Tohatchi.

## Politics

During its early history from 1912 to 1928, McKinley County voted for the Republican candidate in every presidential election. From 1932 onward, the county, with its large Native American majority, has strongly backed Democratic candidates in all but three presidential elections that were national landslides for the Republican Party.
Democratic strength in the county lies in most of Gallup and the Navajo and Zuni Reservations, which cover a large majority of the county's land area. The community of Ramah has previously been one of the only Republican-leaning parts of the county. In 2024 the county saw the strongest shift toward the Republican party of any county in New Mexico, along with Guadalupe, Mora, and Rio Arriba Counties. Parts of southern Gallup and the Thoreau area flipped to a Republican majority, and many parts of the Navajo and Zuni Reservations experienced shifts as well along with most other rural areas.
United States presidential election results for McKinley County, New Mexico :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 9,364 | 36.20% | 15,711 | 60.74% | 792 | 3.06% |
| 2020 | 7,801 | 29.45% | 18,029 | 68.07% | 656 | 2.48% |
| 2016 | 5,104 | 23.52% | 13,576 | 62.55% | 3,023 | 13.93% |
| 2012 | 5,546 | 25.29% | 15,841 | 72.24% | 542 | 2.47% |
| 2008 | 6,382 | 27.50% | 16,572 | 71.41% | 253 | 1.09% |
| 2004 | 7,351 | 35.64% | 13,051 | 63.28% | 221 | 1.07% |
| 2000 | 5,070 | 31.93% | 10,281 | 64.75% | 528 | 3.33% |
| 1996 | 4,470 | 28.79% | 10,124 | 65.21% | 932 | 6.00% |
| 1992 | 4,720 | 30.39% | 9,405 | 60.56% | 1,406 | 9.05% |
| 1988 | 5,694 | 36.81% | 9,595 | 62.04% | 178 | 1.15% |
| 1984 | 6,557 | 44.78% | 7,915 | 54.05% | 171 | 1.17% |
| 1980 | 7,329 | 56.66% | 4,869 | 37.64% | 736 | 5.69% |
| 1976 | 4,617 | 39.83% | 6,856 | 59.14% | 120 | 1.04% |
| 1972 | 5,366 | 49.74% | 5,124 | 47.49% | 299 | 2.77% |
| 1968 | 4,376 | 45.71% | 4,491 | 46.91% | 706 | 7.37% |
| 1964 | 2,965 | 29.65% | 6,913 | 69.13% | 122 | 1.22% |
| 1960 | 4,262 | 43.08% | 5,599 | 56.60% | 32 | 0.32% |
| 1956 | 4,450 | 56.97% | 3,331 | 42.64% | 30 | 0.38% |
| 1952 | 3,091 | 49.80% | 3,097 | 49.90% | 19 | 0.31% |
| 1948 | 2,109 | 40.96% | 2,995 | 58.17% | 45 | 0.87% |
| 1944 | 1,547 | 41.14% | 2,210 | 58.78% | 3 | 0.08% |
| 1940 | 1,701 | 40.19% | 2,525 | 59.66% | 6 | 0.14% |
| 1936 | 1,404 | 35.60% | 2,526 | 64.05% | 14 | 0.35% |
| 1932 | 1,373 | 39.35% | 2,096 | 60.07% | 20 | 0.57% |
| 1928 | 2,075 | 62.22% | 1,247 | 37.39% | 13 | 0.39% |
| 1924 | 1,653 | 51.24% | 1,150 | 35.65% | 423 | 13.11% |
| 1920 | 1,525 | 60.02% | 989 | 38.92% | 27 | 1.06% |
| 1916 | 669 | 54.57% | 550 | 44.86% | 7 | 0.57% |
| 1912 | 264 | 36.07% | 224 | 30.60% | 244 | 33.33% |