Mid-Region Council of Governments

Town of Mountainair

Population: 1,116 (2000) Area: 1.0 Square Miles (2000)

Mountainair Mainstreet

Mountainair is located at the intersection of US 60 and NM 55, east of the Manzano Mountains. A main east-west line of the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway passes through the Town. The Town was incorporated in 1901 and has functioned as an agricultural and trade center for southwest Torrance County.

The Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument is headquartered in Mountainair along with the Monument Museum. Historic buildings include the Railroad Depot, the Shaffer Hotel, and the Municipal Auditorium. A PRCA Rodeo is held in June.

T

The historic Shaffer Hotel

he local economy is based on agriculture and trade with some manufacturing. In 1999, the average daily traffic on US 60 east of the Town was 1,300 and on NM 55 north of Mountainair was 700. The nearby Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument and the Cibola National Forest provide tourist attractions which are a benefit to local businesses. The major employers in the area are the Mountainair School District and Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative. In 2000, there were nearly 300 people employed in or near Mountainair. Nearly 40 percent were employed in the government sector. An additional 20 percent were employed in retail trade.

Population Trend, 1960 - 2000
	1960	1970	1980	1990	2000
Population	1,605	1,022	1,170	926	1,116
Annual Growth Rate %		-3.15	1.36	-1.91	1.88
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Census for 1960 - 1990, MRGCOG for 1999 Estimate

1990 Median Age (Census): 35.7
2000 Median Age (Census): 37.7

Housing by Type, 1990 and 2000
Year	Single Family	Multifamily	Mobile Homes	Total Units
1990	373	10	72	455
2000	380	12	156	545
Source: 1990 Census and 2000 Census

2000 Average Household Size (Census): 2.47

Median Household Income

1989 (Census): $13,277 (44% of the U.S. median)
1999 (Census): $21,146

Government

A mayor and four councilors are elected for four-year staggered terms.

Utilities

Water: Town of Mountainair
Source of Water: Ground water
Sewer: Town of Mountainair
Solid Waste: Torrance County Solid Waste Authority
Electric: Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative
Natural Gas: Town of Mountainair
Telephone: QWEST

Transportation

Air: A local airport (unpaved runway)
Intercity Bus: none
Train, Freight: Burlington Northern & Santa Fe

Services

Police: Town of Mountainair
Fire: Mountainair Volunteer Fire Department
Parks: A municipal park with playground and picnic facilities. The Town also maintains a baseball field and a rodeo arena.