Estancia New Mexico

Estancia is a town in Torrance County, New Mexico, and serves as the county seat. As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,242, and it is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town’s history dates back to 1779 when it was recorded as destroyed by nomadic Indians on a map by Don Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco. Geographically, Estancia spans 5.7 square miles (15 km²), with 0.04 square miles (0.10 km²) of water. Demographically, the population has fluctuated over time: in 2000, it was around 1,300, and by 2020, it dropped to 1,242. The town’s racial makeup includes a majority White population, with smaller groups of Hispanic/Latino, Black/African American, Asian, and Native American residents. Economically, the town has faced challenges, including high unemployment rates and reliance on federal aid programs. A significant portion of its population worked in manufacturing or government jobs. In 2010, a prison opened, accounting for nearly one-quarter of the workforce. Estancia experiences a semi-arid climate with cold winters and hot summers. Average snowfall is about 19.2 inches annually, though extreme events like −37 °F (−38.3 °C) in January 1971 and 55.1 inches (1.40 m) of snow between July 1915 and June 1916 have occurred. The town has also seen record-breaking temperatures, such as the hottest afternoon of 104 °F (40 °C) in June 1989 and the wettest month of 27.25 inches (692.1 mm) in October 1911. Overall, Estancia is a small, economically challenged town with a unique blend of historical significance and modern ...