What is the largest city in McKinley County, NM?

Gallup is the largest city or town in McKinley County, with about 21,023 residents.

How many ZIP codes are in McKinley County?

McKinley County includes 21 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 86515, 87045, 87301, 87305, 87310.

What is the population of McKinley County, NM?

About 70,431 people live in McKinley County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

What counties border McKinley County?

McKinley County borders Sandoval County, San Juan County, Apache County, AZ, Cibola County.

McKinley County, NM: Cities, ZIP Codes & Local Data

Population

70,431

Land area

5,451sq mi

People per sq mi

13

ZIP codes

21

McKinley County at a glance

McKinley County is 26% less dense than New Mexico as a whole.
By population, it ranks 8th among 33 counties in New Mexico.
The median household income is $47,668, 26% below the New Mexico median of $64,059.
A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $78,700 (68% below New Mexico) and median rent is $859 a month.
Its largest cities are Gallup (21,023), Zuni Pueblo (5,864) and Crownpoint (2,882).

Local data for McKinley County, NM

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

McKinley County, NM, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$47,668

Poverty rate

33.2%

Median home value

$78,700

Prices +5.0% in a year

Median rent

$859/mo

Homeownership

69.8%

Bachelor's or higher

13.3%

Median age

34.6

Average commute

27.0 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: Mexican Americans (6,412), German Americans (1,486), Irish Americans (1,184).

Home values and rents Income, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, income, federal spending and pandemic loans

Details

Unemployment rate

6.6%

Sep 2026, +1.3 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$49,177

19,353 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$37,085

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$561M

FY 2026, $7,688 per person

PPP loans

$67.2M

732 loans, 10,599 jobs reported

Campaign donations

$63.6K

Itemized, 2026 cycle

Economy Federal spending PPP loans

How people get to work

McKinley County, NM, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

Drove alone79.9%
Carpooled7.8%
Public transit1.1%
Walked1.4%
Bicycle0.0%
Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other0.9%
Worked from home8.9%

Average one-way commute: 27.0 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

McKinley County, NM, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Low

Top: lightning

Storm events since 1996

552

Most often drought

Flood insurance policies

35

0.2% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

89° / 12°F

12.2 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm history Check a flood zone 22 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in McKinley County, NM, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

41.3%

U.S. 33.3% +8.0 pts

Diabetes

19.0%

U.S. 12.1% +6.9 pts

Smoking

26.8%

U.S. 12.8% +14.0 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

15.1%

U.S. 11.1% +4.0 pts

Cities, towns and ZIP codes in McKinley County

Population shown

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in McKinley County, NM?: Gallup is the largest city or town in McKinley County, with about 21,023 residents.
How many ZIP codes are in McKinley County?: McKinley County includes 21 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 86515, 87045, 87301, 87305, 87310.
What is the population of McKinley County, NM?: About 70,431 people live in McKinley County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What counties border McKinley County?: McKinley County borders Sandoval County, San Juan County, Apache County, AZ, Cibola County.