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McKinley County
McKinley County
County
	McKinley County Courthouse in Gallup
	Location within the U.S. state of New Mexico
	New Mexico's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 35°35′N 108°16′W / 35.58°N 108.26°W
Country	United States
State	New Mexico
Founded	January 1, 1901
Named for	William McKinley
Seat	Gallup
Largest city	Gallup
Area
• Total	5,455.5 sq mi (14,130 km2)
• Land	5,450 sq mi (14,100 km2)
• Water	5.5 sq mi (14 km2) 0.1%
Population (2020)
• Total	72,902
• Density	13/sq mi (5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional districts	2nd, 3rd
Website	www.co.mckinley.nm.us

McKinley County is a county in the northwestern section of the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 United States Census, its population was 72,902.^[1] Its county seat is Gallup.^[2] The county was created in 1901 and named for President William McKinley.^[3] McKinley County is Gallup's micropolitan statistical area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 5,455 square miles (14,130 km²), of which 5.5 sq mi (14 km²) (0.1%) are covered by water.^[4]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Interstate 40
U.S. Route 491 (formerly )
New Mexico Highway 264
New Mexico Highway 371
New Mexico Highway 602

National protected areas

Chaco Culture National Historical Park (part)
Cibola National Forest (part)

Demographics

Census-designated places

For purposes of census-data collection, organization and analysis, the United States Census Bureau has devised 44 census-designated places since 1980 within McKinley County.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1910	12,963	—
1920	13,731	5.9%
1930	20,643	50.3%
1940	23,641	14.5%
1950	27,451	16.1%
1960	37,209	35.5%
1970	43,208	16.1%
1980	56,449	30.6%
1990	60,686	7.5%
2000	74,798	23.3%
2010	71,492	−4.4%
2020	72,902	2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census^[5] 1790–1960^[6] 1900–1990^[7] 1990–2000^[8] 2010^[9]

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,^[10] 74,798 people, 21,476 households, and 16,686 families were living in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (5.4 people/km²). The 26,718 housing units had an average density of 5 units per square mile (1.9 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 74.72% Native American, 16.39% White, 0.46% Asian, 0.40% African American, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 5.47% from other races, and 2.52% from two or more races. About 12.40% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 21,476 households, 46.0% had children under 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 22.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were not families. About 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.44, and the average family size was 3.99.

In the county, the age distribution was 38.0% under 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.50 males. For every 100.0 females 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,005, and for a family was $26,806. Males had a median income of $26,963 versus $21,014 for females. The per capita income for the county was $9,872. About 31.9% of families and 36.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.3% of those under 18 and 31.5% of those 65 or over. The county's per capita income makes it one of the poorest counties in the United States.

McKinley County is one of only 38 county-level census divisions of the United States where the most spoken language is not English and one of only three where it is neither English nor Spanish; 45.75% of the population speak Navajo at home, followed by English at 38.87%, Zuñi at 9.03%, and Spanish at 5.72%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, 71,492 people, 21,968 households, and 16,219 families resided in the county.^[11] The population density was 13.1 inhabitants per square mile (5.1/km²). The 25,813 housing units had an average density of 4.7/sq mi (1.8/km²).^[12] The racial makeup of the county was 75.5% Native American, 15.2% White, 0.8% Asian, 0.5% Black or African American, 4.9% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 13.3% of the population.^[11]

Of the 21,968 households, 46.2% had children under 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 24.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 26.2% were not families, and 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 3.22, and the average family size was 3.82. The median age was 30.7 years.^[11]

The median income for a household in the county was $31,335 and for a family was $37,345. Males had a median income of $31,527 versus $26,236 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,932. About 26.6% of families and 33.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.0% of those under 18 and 31.3% of those 65 or over.^[13]

Communities

City

Gallup (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

Education

Locally controlled public schools in most of McKinley County are run by Gallup-McKinley County Schools, the local school district, and include Crownpoint High School, Gallup Central High School, Gallup High School, Hiroshi Miyamura High School, Navajo Pine High School, Ramah Middle / High School, Thoreau High School, Tohatchi High School, and Tse Yi Gai High School.^[14] Areas in and around the Zuni reservation are in the Zuni Public School District,^[15] which operates Zuni High School.

Two Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) boarding schools are in the Fort Wingate area: Wingate Elementary School,^[16] and Wingate High School. The BIE also operates a K-8 school, Pueblo Pintado Community School, in Pueblo Pintado,^[17] and a K-6 school, Baca /Dlo'Ay Azhi Community School.^[18] Additionally, a tribal school affiliated with the BIE, Ch'ooshgai Community School, is located in Tohatchi.^[19]

Politics

During its early history from 1912 to 1928, McKinley County voted for the Republican candidate in every presidential election. From 1932 onward, the county, with its large Native American majority, has backed Democratic candidates in all but three presidential elections that were national landslides for the Republican Party.

United States presidential election results for McKinley County, New Mexico^[20]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	9,364	36.20%	15,711	60.74%	792	3.06%
2020	7,801	29.45%	18,029	68.07%	656	2.48%
2016	5,104	23.52%	13,576	62.55%	3,023	13.93%
2012	5,546	25.29%	15,841	72.24%	542	2.47%
2008	6,382	27.50%	16,572	71.41%	253	1.09%
2004	7,351	35.64%	13,051	63.28%	221	1.07%
2000	5,070	31.93%	10,281	64.75%	528	3.33%
1996	4,470	28.79%	10,124	65.21%	932	6.00%
1992	4,720	30.39%	9,405	60.56%	1,406	9.05%
1988	5,694	36.81%	9,595	62.04%	178	1.15%
1984	6,557	44.78%	7,915	54.05%	171	1.17%
1980	7,329	56.66%	4,869	37.64%	736	5.69%
1976	4,617	39.83%	6,856	59.14%	120	1.04%
1972	5,366	49.74%	5,124	47.49%	299	2.77%
1968	4,376	45.71%	4,491	46.91%	706	7.37%
1964	2,965	29.65%	6,913	69.13%	122	1.22%
1960	4,262	43.08%	5,599	56.60%	32	0.32%
1956	4,450	56.97%	3,331	42.64%	30	0.38%
1952	3,091	49.80%	3,097	49.90%	19	0.31%
1948	2,109	40.96%	2,995	58.17%	45	0.87%
1944	1,547	41.14%	2,210	58.78%	3	0.08%
1940	1,701	40.19%	2,525	59.66%	6	0.14%
1936	1,404	35.60%	2,526	64.05%	14	0.35%
1932	1,373	39.35%	2,096	60.07%	20	0.57%
1928	2,075	62.22%	1,247	37.39%	13	0.39%
1924	1,653	51.24%	1,150	35.65%	423	13.11%
1920	1,525	60.02%	989	38.92%	27	1.06%
1916	669	54.57%	550	44.86%	7	0.57%
1912	264	36.07%	224	30.60%	244	33.33%