New Mexico

San Juan

121,661
2020 population
1890
first census record
14
census records

About San Juan

San Juan, New Mexico, first appears in the United States federal census in 1890, when it recorded a population of 1,890. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 121,661.

Its recorded population peaked at 130,044 in 2010, and has since declined by roughly 6 percent.

On the ground today, 35 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them La Plata Highway Site — Violence, Pueblo Bonito Room 33 Burials (Chaco), Pueblo Bonito Trophy Skull Deposits, and 37 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020121,661
2010130,044
2000113,801
199091,605
198081,433
197052,517
196053,306
195018,292
194017,115
193014,701
19208,333
19108,504
19004,828
18901,890
Source

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

Battles & engagements in San Juan

Military engagements that took place in San Juan, New Mexico.

La Plata Highway Site — Violence
900
Pueblo Bonito Room 33 Burials (Chaco)
1050
Pueblo Bonito Trophy Skull Deposits
1050
Pueblo Bonito Violence Evidence
1050
Pueblo Bonito Room 33 Massacre
1100
Chaco Canyon Collapse Violence
1100
Aztec Ruins Violence Evidence
1100
Chaco Canyon Conflict Evidence
1100
Pueblo del Arroyo Conflict
1125
Peñasco Blanco Massacre Evidence
1150
Chaco Canyon Outlier Conflict
1150
Aztec Ruins Region Conflict
1200
Salmon Ruins Massacre
1250
Memborough Ruin Conflict Site
1260
Zuni Pueblo IV Warfare – Pueblo del Arroyo
1300
Bonneville Expedition into Navajo Country
1833
Price Expedition – Navajo 1847
1847
Newby Expedition – Navajo 1848
1848
Washington Expedition – Narbona Killed
1849
Battle of Washington Pass NM
1849
Battle of Chuska Mountains NM
1858
Attack on Fort Defiance 1858
1858
Fort Defiance Attack
1860
Attack on Fort Defiance 1860
1860
Navajo Attack on Fort Defiance — 1860
1860
Navajo Attack on Fort Defiance
1860
Kit Carson's Navajo Long Walk Campaign — First Phase (1863)
1863
Battle of Carrizo Mountains NM
1863
Kit Carson's Navajo Campaign
1863
Battle Near Fort Defiance
1863
Navajo Long Walk Campaign 1863
1863
Kit Carson's Navajo Campaign – Diné Homeland Sweeps
1863
Sumner Expedition – Navajo 1851
1864
Navajo Wars – Long Walk Campaign
1864
Navajo Long Walk Return — Bosque Redondo (June 1868)
1868

Historic places in San Juan

National Register of Historic Places listings in San Juan, New Mexico.

San Juan River Bridge at Shiprock
Shiprock
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railway Depot
Aztec
Salmon Ruin
Farmington
Engleman-Thomas Building
Aztec
Building at 500 White Avenue
Aztec
Aztec Motor Company Building
Aztec
Abrams, H. D., House
Aztec
Pond, Florence and John R., House
La Plata
McCoy-Maddox House
Aztec
Lower Animas Ditch
Aztec
Farmington Historic Downtown Commercial District
Farmington
Christmas Tree Ruin (LA 11097)
Farmington
Aztec Ruins National Monument
Aztec
Church Avenue-Lovers Lane Historic Ditrict
Aztec
McGee House
Aztec
Building at 202 Park Avenue
Aztec
Browse all New Mexicohistoric sites ›

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Everything a full report reveals about San Juan County, New Mexico

This page charts the census history of San Juan 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 San Juan

When does San Juan first appear in the US census?
San Juan, New Mexico first appears in the federal census in 1890, with a recorded population of 1,890.
What is the population of San Juan?
At the most recent federal census (2020), San Juan had a recorded population of 121,661.
When did San Juan's population peak?
San Juan's recorded population peaked at 130,044 in 2010.
Were any battles fought in San Juan?
35 documented military engagements took place in San Juan, including La Plata Highway Site — Violence, Pueblo Bonito Room 33 Burials (Chaco), Pueblo Bonito Trophy Skull Deposits.
How many historic places are in San Juan?
37 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in San Juan, New Mexico.
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