New Mexico

Sierra

11,576
2020 population
1890
first census record
14
census records

About Sierra

Sierra, New Mexico, first appears in the United States federal census in 1890, when it recorded a population of 3,630. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 11,576.

Its recorded population peaked at 13,270 in 2000, and has since declined by roughly 13 percent.

On the ground today, 34 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Battle of Jornada del Muerto NM, Fort Craig Area Fight (1861), Jornada del Muerto — Apache Attacks on Wagon Trains (1850s–1860s), and 32 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202011,576
201011,988
200013,270
19909,912
19808,454
19707,189
19606,409
19507,186
19406,962
19305,184
19204,619
19103,536
19003,158
18903,630
Source

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

Battles & engagements in Sierra

Military engagements that took place in Sierra, New Mexico.

Battle of Jornada del Muerto NM
1855
Fort Craig Area Fight (1861)
1861
Jornada del Muerto — Apache Attacks on Wagon Trains (1850s–1860s)
1862
Battle of Val Verde (Texas-New Mexico Theater)
1862
Battle of Cuchillo Negro NM
1869
Warm Springs Removal to San Carlos (1877)
1877
Warm Springs Outbreak (1877)
1877
Ojo Caliente Engagement (Victorio)
1877
Victorio's New Mexico Campaign — Ojo Caliente (1879)
1879
Fight at Ojo Caliente – Victorio War 1879
1879
Black Range Pursuit — Capt. Hooker vs Victorio (September 1879)
1879
Victorio's Raid on Ojo Caliente
1879
Victorio Raid — Ojo Caliente Agency Attack 1879
1879
Battle of Las Animas Creek — Victorio Ambushes 9th Cavalry
1879
Ojo Caliente — Victorio Leaves Reservation 1879
1879
Battle of the Black Range NM
1879
Battle of Ojo Caliente (September 4, 1879)
1879
Victorio War — Hillsboro Raid (August 1879)
1879
Ojo Caliente — Victorio Breaks from Reservation (September 4, 1879)
1879
Battle of Gavilan Canyon
1879
Battle of Hembrillo Basin — Victorio Campaign 1880
1880
Battle of Gavilan Canyon — Victorio's Last New Mexico Fight
1880
Battle of Hembrillo Canyon (April 6, 1880)
1880
Warm Springs Massacre
1880
Victorio's War — Battle of Ojo Caliente
1880
Black Range Skirmishes — Victorio's Mountain Base
1880
Black Range Pursuit Skirmishes (1879–1880)
1880
Battle of Hembrillo Canyon (Victorio)
1880
Victorio War — Hembrillo Canyon Fight
1880
Battle of Hembrillo Basin
1880
Battle of Ojo Caliente — Warm Springs Massacre (1880)
1880
Nana's Raid into New Mexico (July–August 1881)
1881
Nana's Raid Engagements 1881
1881
Kingston Silver Strike — Black Range Violence 1882
1882

Historic places in Sierra

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

Percha Creek Bridge
Hillsboro
Meyers House
Hillsboro
Webster, John M., House
Hillsboro
Elephant Butte Historic District
Elephant Butte
Hillsboro Peak Lookout Tower and Cabin
Hillsboro
Elephant Butte Dam
Elephant Butte
Hot Springs Bathhouse and Commerical Historic District in Truth or Consequences
Truth or Consequences
US Post Office-Truth or Consequences Main
Truth or Consequences
Hillsboro High School
Hillsboro
Miller, George Tambling and Ninette Stocker, House
Hillsboro
Percha Diversion Dam
Arrey
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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 Sierra County, New Mexico

This page charts the census history of Sierra 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 Sierra

When does Sierra first appear in the US census?
Sierra, New Mexico first appears in the federal census in 1890, with a recorded population of 3,630.
What is the population of Sierra?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Sierra had a recorded population of 11,576.
When did Sierra's population peak?
Sierra's recorded population peaked at 13,270 in 2000.
Were any battles fought in Sierra?
34 documented military engagements took place in Sierra, including Battle of Jornada del Muerto NM, Fort Craig Area Fight (1861), Jornada del Muerto — Apache Attacks on Wagon Trains (1850s–1860s).
How many historic places are in Sierra?
32 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Sierra, New Mexico.
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