Bordering states
Colorado vs New Mexico
Short answer
- CO
- 5,957,493
- NM
- 2,130,256
The two states, county by county
Both maps share one density scale, so the same shade means the same number of people per square mile on either side of the border. Darker counties are denser. Select a county to open its page.
Colorado
New Mexico
- < 2
- < 7
- < 14
- < 40
- ≥ 40
Residents, 2024
- 01Colorado5,957,493
- 02New Mexico2,130,256
Land, square miles
- 01Colorado103,637
- 02New Mexico121,313
People per square mile
- 01Colorado57.5
- 02New Mexico17.6
Median county household income
- 01Colorado$72,982
- 02New Mexico$51,111
Side by side
| Measure | Colorado | New Mexico |
|---|---|---|
| Residents, 2024 | 5,957,493 | 2,130,256 |
| Rank by population | 21st | 36th |
| Land, sq mi | 103,637 | 121,313 |
| People per sq mi | 57.5 | 17.6 |
| County-equivalents | 64 | 33 |
| Median county residents | 15,336 | 26,428 |
| Median county income | $72,982 | $51,111 |
| Most populous county | El Paso County | Bernalillo County |
| Largest county by land | Las Animas County | Catron County |
| Capital | Denver | Santa Fe |
| Daylight at capital, June 21 | 14 h 59 min | 14 h 35 min |
| Census division | Mountain | Mountain |
Population and density
Colorado has 5,957,493 residents, 2.8 times New Mexico's 2,130,256. Colorado ranks 21st and New Mexico 36th of the 50 states and DC. Colorado is the more crowded, with 57.5 people per square mile against 17.6, 3.3 times.
Land area
New Mexico has 121,313 square miles of land, 17% more than Colorado's 103,637. The largest county-equivalent in Colorado is Las Animas County at 4,773 square miles; in New Mexico it is Catron County at 6,924.
Counties
Colorado is divided into 64 county-equivalents and New Mexico into 33, so an average Colorado county covers 1,619 square miles against 3,676. The typical county in Colorado has 15,336 residents, against 26,428 in New Mexico. The most populous are El Paso County (752,772) and Bernalillo County (671,747).
4 county names appear on both sides of the border: Lincoln, Otero, San Juan, San Miguel. Use the FIPS code, not the name, when joining data across the two states.
Household income
The median county in Colorado has a household income of $72,982, 43% above New Mexico's $51,111. The highest county incomes are Douglas County ($144,807) in Colorado and Los Alamos County ($146,208) in New Mexico, from SAIPE 2023.
Capitals and daylight
Denver and Santa Fe are 285 miles apart in a straight line; from Denver the initial bearing is 191°, S. On June 21, 2026, Denver gets 14 h 59 min of daylight and Santa Fe 14 h 35 min; on December 21 the figures are 9 h 21 min and 9 h 44 min. Month by month tables are on the Denver and Santa Fe daylight pages.
Where they sit
Both are in the Census Mountain division of the West region. By county internal points, Colorado spans 2 UTM zones and New Mexico 2.
Questions people ask
Which is bigger, Colorado or New Mexico?
New Mexico, with 121,313 square miles of land against 103,637, 1.17 times as large.
Which has more people, Colorado or New Mexico?
Colorado has 5,957,493 residents, 2.8 times New Mexico's 2,130,256.
How far is Denver from Santa Fe?
285 miles in a straight line, heading S (191°) from Denver.
Do Colorado and New Mexico have counties with the same name?
Yes, 4: Lincoln, Otero, San Juan, San Miguel.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
- 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
- 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
- 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
- 04Census Bureau regions and divisions of the United States (last verified 2026-09-30)
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.