Town guide

El Rito, New Mexico

El Rito is a community in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, home to about 1,102 people across 4.1 square miles. Its ZIP code is 87530.

Homes sold for a median of $244 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.

Population1,102268 per sq mi
Median home value$332,300Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$244Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking50%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in El Rito

1 ZIP code

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside El Rito. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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  • Things to do

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Around El Rito

Distances

Nearest major airportAlbuquerque International Sunport (ABQ)94 miles away
Closer regional airportTaos Regional Airport (TSM)31 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Albuquerque, NM90 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Phoenix, AZ384 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of El Rito; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Population over time

El Rito had 749 residents in the 2020 census, down 7% since 2010.

It’s the 154th largest of 494 towns in New Mexico by population.

Rio Arriba County grew from 13,777 residents in 1900 to 40,363 in 2020.

El Rito population by census2010: 808, 2020: 74980820107492020

Rio Arriba County, 1900–2020

Rio Arriba County population, 1900 to 20201900: 13,777, 1910: 16,624, 1920: 19,552, 1930: 21,381, 1940: 25,352, 1950: 24,997, 1960: 24,193, 1970: 25,170, 1980: 29,282, 1990: 34,365, 2000: 41,190, 2010: 40,246, 2020: 40,36314K’00’1020K’20’3025K’40’5024K’60’7029K’80’9041K’00’1040K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 84°F in summer, and winter lows average 18°F. About 11.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 24 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near El RitoJan: high 41°F, low 18°F, 0.7 in; Feb: high 46°F, low 21°F, 0.5 in; Mar: high 54°F, low 26°F, 0.7 in; Apr: high 63°F, low 32°F, 0.9 in; May: high 72°F, low 40°F, 0.9 in; Jun: high 81°F, low 48°F, 0.7 in; Jul: high 84°F, low 54°F, 1.8 in; Aug: high 82°F, low 53°F, 1.9 in; Sep: high 76°F, low 47°F, 1.5 in; Oct: high 65°F, low 36°F, 0.9 in; Nov: high 51°F, low 25°F, 0.6 in; Dec: high 41°F, low 19°F, 0.8 in41°18°Jan0.746°21°Feb0.554°26°Mar0.763°32°Apr0.972°40°May0.981°48°Jun0.784°54°Jul1.882°53°Aug1.976°47°Sep1.565°36°Oct0.951°25°Nov0.641°19°Dec0.8Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, El Rito, NM weather station (2 miles away).

Jobs in Rio Arriba County

5,426 jobs at 541 businesses in Rio Arriba County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Rio Arriba CountyHealth care and social assistance: 1,427 jobs; Retail trade: 1,174 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 1,158 jobs; Other services: 379 jobs; Construction: 279 jobs; Administrative and support: 198 jobs; Manufacturing: 142 jobs; Finance and insurance: 120 jobsHealth care and social assistance 26% Retail trade 22% Hotels and restaurants 21% Other services 7% Construction 5% Administrative and support 4% Manufacturing 3% Finance and insurance 2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

24 doctors and other health care providers list an office in El Rito.

Nearest hospitals

  • Presbyterian Espanola HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · Espanola26.4 miles
  • Los Alamos Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · Los Alamos33.8 miles
  • Holy Cross Hospital A Div of Taos Health SystemsCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 1 of 5 · Taos35.3 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors3
Dentists5
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants8
Mental health providers8

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around El Rito

Libraries

  • El Rito Public Library4.0 mi

Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Schools in El Rito

Public schools here are run by Mesa Vista. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (1)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
El Rito ElementaryEl RitoPre-K–363Public2.9 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Where El Rito is

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Towns near El Rito

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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.