San Rafael is a community in Cibola County, New Mexico, home to about 1,039 people across 16 square miles. Its ZIP code is 87051, and parts of 87020 are in San Rafael too.
Homes sold for a median of $22 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026.
Mostly San Rafael
Mostly Grants; part is in San Rafael
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside San Rafael. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up San Rafael’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ)72 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Gallup Municipal Airport (GUP)58 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Albuquerque, NM69 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Phoenix, AZ263 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of San Rafael; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
San Rafael had 1,164 residents in the 2020 census, up 25% since 2010.
It’s the 159th largest of 494 towns in New Mexico by population.
Cibola County grew from 23,794 residents in 1990 to 27,172 in 2020.
Cibola County, 1990–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 92°F in summer, and winter lows average 14°F. About 9.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 8 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Grants Ap, NM weather station (3 miles away).
5,250 jobs at 288 businesses in Cibola County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
Nearest hospitals
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances.
Parks (2 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries
Museums (3 nearby)
Counts are within about 3 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.
Public schools here are run by Grants. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Rafael ElementarySan Rafael | K–6 | 49 | Public | 0.8 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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Shares ZIP codes with Grants, San Mateo, Lobo Canyon, Mount Taylor, Broadview and Golden Acres.
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.