Placitas, Sandoval County, New Mexico

Placitas, New Mexico
CDP
Las Placitas Presbyterian Church
Location of Placitas, New Mexico
Placitas, New Mexico Location in the United States
Coordinates: 35°19′3″N106°27′7″W / 35.31750°N 106.45194°W / 35.31750; -106.45194
Country	United States
State	New Mexico
County	Sandoval
Area [1]
• Total	29.44 sq mi (76.25 km2)
• Land	29.44 sq mi (76.25 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	5,955 ft (1,815 m)
Population  (2020) [2]
• Total	5,041
• Density	171.23/sq mi (66.11/km2)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code	87043
Area code	505
FIPS code	35-58070
GNIS feature ID	0915877

Placitas is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 4,977. ^[3] It is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

In 1767, 21 families received a land grant from Spain. They founded the village of San Jose de las Huertas near present-day Placitas. ^{[4] [5]} Around the year 1768, nomadic Native Americans raided the village. ^[4] In the 1830s, Placitas, which at the time was known as Las Placitas, ^[5] was settled. ^[4] On February 24th, 1894, Las Placitas Presbyterian Church was founded. ^{[6] [7]}

During the 1960s and 1970s, there were many hippie settlements near Placitas. These settlements include Sun Farm, Lower Farm, Little Farm, Dome Valley, and Tawapa. ^{[4] [8]} The only one of these settlements that still exists today is Sun Farm. ^[4]

Geography

Placitas is located at 35°19′3″N106°27′7″W / 35.31750°N 106.45194°W / 35.31750; -106.45194 (35.317444, -106.452065). ^[9]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 29.7 square miles (77 km²), all land.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
2020	5,041		—
U.S. Decennial Census [10] [2]

At the 2000 census there were 3,452 people, 1,485 households, and 1,101 families in the CDP. The population density was 115.4 inhabitants per square mile (44.6/km²). There were 1,606 housing units at an average density of 53.7 per square mile (20.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 83.52% White, 0.70% African American, 1.30% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 10.46% from other races, and 3.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.22%. ^[11]

Of the 1,485 households 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.0% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 20.1% of households were one person and 4.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.66.

The age distribution was 18.8% under the age of 18, 3.0% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 42.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% 65 or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.

The median household income was $60,597 and the median family income was $71,696. Males had a median income of $46,667 versus $41,914 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $36,243. About 2.6% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.7% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Placitas is in the Bernalillo Public Schools district, ^[12] which operates Placitas Elementary School, ^[13] Bernalillo Middle School (the zoned middle school of this community), ^[14] and Bernalillo High School.

References

1. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
2. "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
3. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files - Places: New Mexico". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
4. Gajkowski, Bob; Montgomery, Lynn. "*MDWCA - Las Acequias de Placitas Water System". *MDWCA - Las Acequias de Placitas Water System. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
5. Forest, Suzanne (December 1, 1996). "A Trail of Tangled Titles: Mining, Land Speculation, and the Dismemberment of the San Antonio de las Huertas Land Grant". New Mexico Historical Review: 361.
6. "Las Placitas Presbyterian Church".
7. Forrest, Suzanne Sims (January 16, 2017). Century of Faith: One Hundred Years in the Life of Las Placitas Presbyterian Church. pp. xv. ISBN   9781540397676.
8. Kurota, Alexander (November 7, 2005). "A Class III Cultural Resources Inventory of 44 Acres in Placitas, Sandoval County, New Mexico". Office of Contract Archaeology University of New Mexico.
9. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
10. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
12. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Sandoval County, NM" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved January 9, 2022.
13. "About Placitas Elementary". Placitas Elementary School. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
14. "About Bernalillo Middle School". Bernalillo Middle School. Retrieved March 16, 2023.

Wild Horses of Placitas, 2012. They are the source of some controversy. One argument is that they eat the wild grass faster than it can renew itself, especially during drought, which may lead to erosion problems. Traffic safety is also of concern, due to the free-roaming horses crossing rural roads and a state highway (NM 165). Photo courtesy of John Fowler, Placitas.