Town guide

Rock Springs, New Mexico

Rock Springs is a community in McKinley County, New Mexico, home to about 1,013 people across 13 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 87375.

Population1,01380 per sq mi
Median home value$18,000Census, as estimated by owners

ZIP codes in Rock Springs

1 ZIP code, 1 shared with neighboring towns
Yatahey, NM87375 —/sq ft

Part is in Rock Springs, part in Twin Lakes and Yah-ta-hey

The Rock Springs guide is on the way

We’re writing up Rock Springs’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

Are you a local agent who knows Rock Springs well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked

Around Rock Springs

Distances

Nearest major airportAlbuquerque International Sunport (ABQ)93 miles away
Closer regional airportGallup Municipal Airport (GUP)34 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Albuquerque, NM90 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Phoenix, AZ259 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Rock Springs; driving is longer.

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

Population over time

Rock Springs had 807 residents in the 2020 census, up 45% since 2000.

It’s the 164th largest of 494 towns in New Mexico by population.

McKinley County grew from 12,963 residents in 1910 to 72,902 in 2020.

Rock Springs population by census2000: 558, 2010: 567, 2020: 807558200056720108072020

McKinley County, 1910–2020

McKinley County population, 1910 to 20201910: 12,963, 1920: 13,731, 1930: 20,643, 1940: 23,641, 1950: 27,451, 1960: 37,209, 1970: 43,208, 1980: 56,449, 1990: 60,686, 2000: 74,798, 2010: 71,492, 2020: 72,90213K’10’2021K’30’4027K’50’6043K’70’8061K’90’0071K’1073K’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 89°F in summer, and winter lows average 12°F. About 12.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 31 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near Rock SpringsJan: high 48°F, low 12°F, 0.8 in; Feb: high 51°F, low 18°F, 0.6 in; Mar: high 59°F, low 23°F, 0.6 in; Apr: high 67°F, low 29°F, 0.7 in; May: high 76°F, low 37°F, 0.8 in; Jun: high 88°F, low 46°F, 0.6 in; Jul: high 89°F, low 52°F, 2 in; Aug: high 86°F, low 50°F, 2.4 in; Sep: high 81°F, low 42°F, 1.4 in; Oct: high 70°F, low 30°F, 0.9 in; Nov: high 58°F, low 20°F, 0.7 in; Dec: high 48°F, low 13°F, 0.9 in48°12°Jan0.851°18°Feb0.659°23°Mar0.667°29°Apr0.776°37°May0.888°46°Jun0.689°52°Jul2.086°50°Aug2.481°42°Sep1.470°30°Oct0.958°20°Nov0.748°13°Dec0.9Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Thoreau 12 Se, NM weather station (13 miles away).

Jobs in McKinley County

15,236 jobs at 940 businesses in McKinley County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in McKinley CountyHealth care and social assistance: 4,259 jobs; Retail trade: 3,355 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 2,791 jobs; Transportation and warehousing: 702 jobs; Other services: 668 jobs; Wholesale trade: 576 jobs; Construction: 513 jobs; Educational services: 478 jobsHealth care and social assistance 28% Retail trade 22% Hotels and restaurants 18% Transportation and warehousing 5% Other services 4% Wholesale trade 4% Construction 3% Educational services 3%

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

Health care

Nearest hospitals

  • Crownpoint Healthcare FacilityGeneral hospital · emergency room · Crownpoint18.6 miles
  • Cibola General HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Grants29.6 miles
  • Rehoboth Mckinley Christian Health Care ServicesCritical access hospital · emergency room · Gallup31.0 miles

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances.

Places in and around Rock Springs

Libraries

  • Saint Bonaventure School and Community Library5.9 mi

Counts are within about 2.5 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 Rock Springs

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

Public schools (1)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Chee Dodge ElementaryYah Ta HeyPre-K–5261Public34.9 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.

From OfferBacked · Free

Get matched with a local agent.

Buying or selling around Rock Springs? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.

Get matched

Where Rock Springs is

Loading map…

Towns near Rock Springs

All New Mexico towns →

Shares ZIP codes with Twin Lakes and Yah-ta-hey.

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.