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Elephant Butte, New Mexico Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

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Elephant Butte is a small town located in Sierra County, New Mexico. It is situated on the western banks of Elephant Butte Lake, which was created by the damming of the Rio Grande. This lake is the largest body of water in New Mexico and offers a variety of recreational activities for visitors and residents alike.

Elephant Butte has a population of about 2,000 people, many of whom are descendants from early Spanish settlers. The town has a unique history that dates back to the early 1800s when it was settled by Mexican ranchers who came to take advantage of the abundant water supply from Elephant Butte Lake. The town grew steadily over time and became an important center for ranching and farming in the area.

Today, Elephant Butte is home to several businesses including restaurants, shops, motels, RV parks and marinas. There are plenty of places to explore in Elephant Butte such as nearby State Parks like Caballo Lake State Park or Leasburg Dam State Park which offer camping and fishing opportunities or you can take a boat tour around Elephant Butte Lake. Other attractions include historical sites like Fort Craig National Historic Site or Bosque Redondo Memorial National Historic Site which commemorate events from the Civil War era.

The climate in Elephant Butte is typical for Southwest New Mexico with hot summers and mild winters with occasional snowfall during winter months. The average high temperature during summer months reaches into the upper 90s while winter temperatures can dip into the lower 20s at night but rarely below zero degrees Fahrenheit during daytime hours.

The community here is close-knit with many events taking place throughout the year such as annual festivals like “Fiesta de los Vaqueros” which celebrates local cowboy culture or “Cinco de Mayo” which celebrates Mexican heritage with music and dancing performances among other activities showcasing local culture.

Overall, Elephant Butte provides visitors and residents alike with plenty of outdoor activities as well as cultural experiences that make it an enjoyable place to visit or live in New Mexico’s beautiful Southwest region.

Population: 1,390. Estimated population in July 2024: 1,317 (-5.3% change)
Males: 689 (49.6%), Females: 701 (50.4%)

Sierra County

Zip code: 87935

Demographics

Median resident age: 57.6 years
Median household income: $31,705
Median house value: $137,200

Population by Race

Races in Elephant Butte:

  • White Non-Hispanic (84.2%)
  • Hispanic (13.3%)
  • Other race (5.0%)
  • American Indian (1.9%)
  • Two or more races (1.1%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)

Ancestries: German (20.6%), Irish (17.6%), English (16.8%), United States (11.4%), French (4.7%), Dutch (4.0%).

Elevation: 4565 feet

Land area: 3.0 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Elephant Butte

  • High school or higher: 86.2%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.8%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 8.2%
  • Unemployed: 5.3%
  • Mean travel time to work: 15.4 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Elephant Butte city

  • Never married: 7.5%
  • Now married: 69.3%
  • Separated: 0.4%
  • Widowed: 8.5%
  • Divorced: 14.3%

2.3% Foreign born (1.5% Europe, 0.6% Latin America).

Population change in the 1990s: +1,196 (+616.5%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Elephant Butte:

  • SIERRA VISTA HOSPITAL (about 4 miles; T OR C, NM)
  • SOCORRO GENERAL HOSPITAL (about 57 miles; SOCORRO, NM)
  • MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER INC (about 69 miles; LAS CRUCES, NM)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Elephant Butte:

  • LAS CRUCES INTERNATIONAL (about 66 miles; LAS CRUCES, NM; Abbreviation: LRU)
  • HOLLOMAN AFB (about 82 miles; ALAMOGORDO, NM; Abbreviation: HMN)
  • BIGGS AAF (about 111 miles; FORT BLISS/EL PASO/, TX; Abbreviation: BIF)

Other public-use airports nearest to Elephant Butte:

  • TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES MUNI (about 5 miles; TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, NM; Abbreviation: TCS)
  • HATCH MUNI (about 38 miles; HATCH, NM; Abbreviation: E05)
  • SOCORRO MUNI (about 62 miles; SOCORRO, NM; Abbreviation: ONM)

Amtrak station near Elephant Butte:

  • 5 miles: TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES (TRUTH OR CONSEQNCES, 800 N. HWY. 51) – Bus Station

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Elephant Butte:

  • NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY-MAIN CAMPUS (about 71 miles; LAS CRUCES, NM; Full-time enrollment: 12,562)
  • NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY-DONA ANA (about 71 miles; LAS CRUCES, NM; Full-time enrollment: 2,380)
  • THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO (about 110 miles; EL PASO, TX; Full-time enrollment: 12,071)
  • EL PASO COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 116 miles; EL PASO, TX; Full-time enrollment: 11,127)
  • UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO-MAIN CAMPUS (about 133 miles; ALBUQUERQUE, NM; Full-time enrollment: 18,780)
  • ALBUQUERQUE TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL INSTITUTE (about 137 miles; ALBUQUERQUE, NM; Full-time enrollment: 9,188)
  • UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX-ALBUQUERQUE NM CAMPUS (about 143 miles; ALBUQUERQUE, NM; Full-time enrollment: 3,261)

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