New Mexico

Lincoln

20,269
2020 population
1870
first census record
16
census records

About Lincoln

Lincoln, New Mexico, first appears in the United States federal census in 1870, when it recorded a population of 1,803. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 20,269.

Its recorded population peaked at 20,497 in 2010, and has since declined by roughly 1 percent.

On the ground today, 27 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Battle of Fort Stanton — Mescalero Raid (1861), Mescalero Roundup — Fort Stanton Operations (February 1863), Fort Stanton Campaign (1855), and 37 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202020,269
201020,497
200019,411
199012,219
198010,997
19707,560
19607,744
19507,409
19408,557
19307,198
19207,823
19107,822
19004,953
18907,081
18802,513
18701,803
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Lincoln

Military engagements that took place in Lincoln, New Mexico.

Battle of Fort Stanton — Mescalero Raid (1861)
1861
Mescalero Roundup — Fort Stanton Operations (February 1863)
1863
Fort Stanton Campaign (1855)
1866
Fort Stanton Operations – Mescalero Campaign 1855
1866
Lincoln County Apache Raids 1868-1870
1868
Lincoln County War — Fritz Ranch Skirmish
1878
Lincoln County War – Five-Day Battle of Lincoln
1878
Five-Day Battle of Lincoln (Lincoln County War)
1878
Lincoln County War — Brady Murder Lincoln NM
1878
Lincoln County War — Morton and Baker Killings
1878
Lincoln County War — Killing of Tunstall
1878
Lincoln County War — Tunstall Murder Scene
1878
Blazer's Mills Fight (Lincoln County War)
1878
Lincoln County War – Gunfight at Lincoln (July 15-19 1878)
1878
Lincoln County War — McSween House Siege
1878
Lincoln County War — Battle of Blazer's Mill
1878
Lincoln County War – Killing of Sheriff Brady
1878
Lincoln County War — Blazer's Mill Aftermath
1878
Lincoln County War (New Mexico)
1878
Lincoln County – Fort Stanton Apache Confrontation
1878
Lincoln County War – Tunstall Murder
1878
Lincoln County War — Five Day Battle
1878
White Oaks Gold Rush Violence — Billy the Kid 1880
1880
Battle of White Oaks — Billy the Kid Escape
1880
Lincoln County – Billy the Kid Escape from Lincoln Jail
1881
Billy the Kid — Lincoln County Escape 1881
1881
Billy the Kid — Lincoln Jail Break Killing 1881
1881

Historic places in Lincoln

National Register of Historic Places listings in Lincoln, New Mexico.

Lincoln Historic District
Lincoln
Fort Stanton Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Capitan
Ruidoso Lookout Tower
Ruidoso
Fort Stanton
Capitan
White Oaks Historic District
White Oaks
Carrizozo Woman's Club
Carrizozo
Paden's Drug Store
Carrizozo
New Mexico Military Institute Summer Camp, Main Building
Ruidoso
Monjeau Lookout
Villa Madonna
Hopeful Lode
Nogal
Old Dowlin Mill
Ruidoso
Hurd, Peter and Henriette Wyeth, House
San Patricio
Browse all New Mexicohistoric sites ›

Other counties in New Mexico

Explore census history and historic records for more New Mexico counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Lincoln County, New Mexico

This page charts the census history of Lincoln County, New Mexico. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Lincoln

When does Lincoln first appear in the US census?
Lincoln, New Mexico first appears in the federal census in 1870, with a recorded population of 1,803.
What is the population of Lincoln?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Lincoln had a recorded population of 20,269.
When did Lincoln's population peak?
Lincoln's recorded population peaked at 20,497 in 2010.
Were any battles fought in Lincoln?
27 documented military engagements took place in Lincoln, including Battle of Fort Stanton — Mescalero Raid (1861), Mescalero Roundup — Fort Stanton Operations (February 1863), Fort Stanton Campaign (1855).
How many historic places are in Lincoln?
37 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Lincoln, New Mexico.
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