Aztec, New Mexico

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|13.1|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|0.1|sqmi|km2}} (0.8%) is covered by water.

Aztec has a typical southwestern cool semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) characterised by hot summers, chilly though not severe winters, and large diurnal temperature variation throughout the year.

Summers are generally hot to sweltering by afternoon, though with pleasant mornings and low humidity. On average, 50 afternoons surpass {{convert|90|F|C|disp=or}}, though only two pass {{convert|100|F|C|disp=or}}, and only five mornings between 1991 and 2020 stayed above {{convert|68|F|C|disp=or}}. Mornings become chilly quite early in the fall; the usual frost-free period is from May 10 to October 6, and frosts have occurred as early as September 9, 1989 and as late as June 26, 1975. Winter afternoons, though, remain relatively mild; only two afternoons stay below freezing during an average year, although two mornings during an average winter fall to or below {{convert|0|F|C|disp=or}}, and 153 mornings fall to or below freezing. The coldest temperature has been {{convert|-27|F|C|disp=or}} on February 8, 1933, and the hottest {{convert|106|F|C|disp=or}} on July 11, 2021, and July 18, 2023.

Due to mountain rain shadow effects, precipitation is generally low, especially during the early summer between April and June. The wettest calendar year has been 1986 with {{convert|20.27|in|mm|disp=or}}, and the driest 1917 with {{convert|2.90|in|mm|disp=or}}. The wettest month has been August 1929 with {{convert|5.65|in|mm|disp=or}} and the wettest day August 27, 2015, with {{convert|2.67|in|mm|disp=or}}. Aridity severely limits snowfall: the mean is only {{convert|10.9|in|m|sigfig=2|disp=or}} and the median only {{convert|8.5|in|m|sigfig=2}}. The most snowfall in a month has been in January 2024 with {{convert|26.9|in|cm|sigfig=2|disp=or}}, and the most in one day {{convert|11.0|in|cm|disp=or}} on December 17, 1990.

{{Weather box

|location = Aztec, New Mexico (Aztec Ruins National Monument) (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1895–1902 and 1919–present)

|single line = Yes

|collapsed = Yes

|Jan record high F = 69

|Feb record high F = 78

|Mar record high F = 86

|Apr record high F = 89

|May record high F = 98

|Jun record high F = 105

|Jul record high F = 106

|Aug record high F = 105

|Sep record high F = 101

|Oct record high F = 92

|Nov record high F = 77

|Dec record high F = 69

|Jan avg record high F = 56.3

|Feb avg record high F = 62.7

|Mar avg record high F = 73.3

|Apr avg record high F = 80.7

|May avg record high F = 89.2

|Jun avg record high F = 96.8

|Jul avg record high F = 99.1

|Aug avg record high F = 95.8

|Sep avg record high F = 90.7

|Oct avg record high F = 81.8

|Nov avg record high F = 68.7

|Dec avg record high F = 57.2

|year avg record high F = 99.5

|Jan high F = 46.0

|Feb high F = 52.5

|Mar high F = 62.8

|Apr high F = 70.6

|May high F = 79.8

|Jun high F = 90.3

|Jul high F = 93.9

|Aug high F = 91.2

|Sep high F = 84.2

|Oct high F = 71.7

|Nov high F = 57.7

|Dec high F = 46.4

|year high F = 70.6

|Jan mean F = 31.6

|Feb mean F = 37.0

|Mar mean F = 44.9

|Apr mean F = 51.7

|May mean F = 60.4

|Jun mean F = 70.0

|Jul mean F = 76.1

|Aug mean F = 74.0

|Sep mean F = 66.3

|Oct mean F = 53.7

|Nov mean F = 41.5

|Dec mean F = 32.1

|year mean F = 53.3

|Jan low F = 17.1

|Feb low F = 21.5

|Mar low F = 27.0

|Apr low F = 32.7

|May low F = 41.0

|Jun low F = 49.7

|Jul low F = 58.2

|Aug low F = 56.9

|Sep low F = 48.5

|Oct low F = 35.7

|Nov low F = 25.3

|Dec low F = 17.8

|year low F = 35.9

|Jan avg record low F = 2.8

|Feb avg record low F = 8.1

|Mar avg record low F = 14.1

|Apr avg record low F = 19.9

|May avg record low F = 29.7

|Jun avg record low F = 38.2

|Jul avg record low F = 48.6

|Aug avg record low F = 49.5

|Sep avg record low F = 35.1

|Oct avg record low F = 21.6

|Nov avg record low F = 11.7

|Dec avg record low F = 3.2

|year avg record low F = -0.8

|Jan record low F = -26

|Feb record low F = -27

|Mar record low F = -3

|Apr record low F = 2

|May record low F = 12

|Jun record low F = 24

|Jul record low F = 39

|Aug record low F = 36

|Sep record low F = 22

|Oct record low F = 6

|Nov record low F = -7

|Dec record low F = -24

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 0.90

|Feb precipitation inch = 0.75

|Mar precipitation inch = 0.77

|Apr precipitation inch = 0.69

|May precipitation inch = 0.71

|Jun precipitation inch = 0.28

|Jul precipitation inch = 0.96

|Aug precipitation inch = 1.32

|Sep precipitation inch = 1.13

|Oct precipitation inch = 0.94

|Nov precipitation inch = 0.94

|Dec precipitation inch = 0.67

|year precipitation inch = 10.06

|Jan snow inch = 4.5

|Feb snow inch = 2.3

|Mar snow inch = 0.5

|Apr snow inch = 0.2

|May snow inch = 0.1

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.0

|Oct snow inch = 0.3

|Nov snow inch = 0.9

|Dec snow inch = 2.2

|year snow inch = 10.9

|Jan precipitation days = 5.6

|Feb precipitation days = 5.1

|Mar precipitation days = 4.4

|Apr precipitation days = 3.7

|May precipitation days = 3.8

|Jun precipitation days = 2.1

|Jul precipitation days = 5.1

|Aug precipitation days = 7.0

|Sep precipitation days = 5.7

|Oct precipitation days = 4.7

|Nov precipitation days = 4.2

|Dec precipitation days = 5.1

|year precipitation days = 56.5

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 inch

|Jan snow days = 2.3

|Feb snow days = 1.7

|Mar snow days = 0.5

|Apr snow days = 0.2

|May snow days = 0.0

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 0.2

|Nov snow days = 0.7

|Dec snow days = 1.7

|year snow days = 7.3

|unit snow days = 0.1 inch

|source 1 = NOAA{{cite web |url=https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=abq |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |title=NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data |access-date=2023-03-15}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00290692&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |title=Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020 |access-date=2023-03-15}}

}}

Aztec is part of the Farmington, New Mexico Metropolitan Statistical Area.

{{US Census population

|1910= 509

|1920= 489

|1930= 740

|1940= 756

|1950= 885

|1960= 4137

|1970= 3354

|1980= 5512

|1990= 5479

|2000= 6378

|2010= 6763

|2020= 6201

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015 }}{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:35&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=Oct 12, 2022}}

}}

As of the census of 2000,{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=2014-12-07 }} 6,378 people, 2,330 households, and 1,589 families were residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|253.1|/km2|/mi2|abbr=on}}. The 2,545 housing units had an average density of {{convert|101.0|/km2|/mi2|abbr=on}}. The racial makeup of the city was 79.23% White, 0.38% African American, 9.31% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 7.53% from other races, and 3.29% from two or more races. About 19.22% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 2,330 households, 35.3% had children under 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were not families. About 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city, the age distribution was 26.6% under 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.6 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 101.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,110, and for a family was $39,509. Males had a median income of $36,845 versus $17,841 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,750. 17.4% of the population and 14.6% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 20.6% were under the age of 18 and 15.7% were 65 or older.

File:Aztec ruins buildings in 2011.jpg]]

Aztec Ruins National Monument within Aztec is part of the greater Chaco Culture UNESCO World Heritage site.https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/353

File:D&RGW 483 at Aztec NM June 23 1967.jpg steam train at Aztec depot, 1967]]

As of 2016, Aztec had 16 park and special-use areas totaling {{convert|153.5|acre|ha|abbr=on}}, and {{convert|15.6|km|mi|abbr=on}} of pedestrian trails.{{cite web | title = City of Aztec, Parks and Recreation Enhancement Plan,2016 | publisher = City of Aztec, New Mexico | url = http://www.aztecnm.gov/plans/PREP2016.pdf | accessdate = December 23, 2023}}

File:Aztec New Mexico City Hall.jpg

The City of Aztec practices a commission-manager form of government as established in the New Mexico state statutes. The five commissioners are elected from each of the five districts. The mayor and mayor pro-tempore are elected among the five commissioners.

Aztec Municipal Schools serves the City of Aztec and rural areas in northeastern San Juan County.

General-aviation service is available at the Aztec Municipal Airport.

Highway 516 and U.S. Highway 550 pass through Aztec.

Water comes from surface-water sources, including the Aztec Ditch, Lower Animas Ditch, and the Animas River.{{Cite web |last=City of Aztec |title=2022 Water Quality Report |url=http://www.aztecnm.gov/waterplant/water_report2022.pdf |website=www.aztecnm.gov |publication-date=2022}} The city maintains its own water-treatment plant.

Electricity is maintained by the Aztec Electric Department, which has a compact electric system with 39 miles of distribution line. The city does not own any generation facilities. The city owns a short segment of 69 kV transmission line within its service territory, and it receives all its electricity through a single substation. As of 2023, the city purchased all its energy requirements from contracts with the Western Area Power Association and the Public Service Company of New Mexico.{{Cite web |last=City of Aztec |date=2013 |title=2013 Electric Department Integrated Resource Plan |url=http://www.aztecnm.gov/plans/IntegratedResourcePlan.pdf |website=www.aztecnm.gov}}

• Paul Bandy, member of the New Mexico House of Representatives
• Larry Harlow, former outfielder for the California Angels
• Alex Kennedy, stock-car racing driver
• Uma Krishnaswami, author of children's books
• T. Ryan Lane, attorney and member of the New Mexico House of Representatives
• Steven Neville, real estate appraiser and member of the New Mexico Senate
• Sandra Townsend, former member of the New Mexico House of Representatives

{{portal|New Mexico}}

• List of municipalities in New Mexico
• Aztec, New Mexico, UFO incident

{{reflist|22em}}

{{commons category|Aztec, New Mexico}}

• [http://www.aztecnm.gov/ City of Aztec Government]
• [http://www.aztecnm.com/ City of Aztec Visitor Center & Tourism]
• [http://www.aztecchamber.com/ Aztec Chamber of Commerce]

{{San Juan County, New Mexico}}

{{New Mexico county seats}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Cities in New Mexico

Category:Cities in San Juan County, New Mexico

Category:County seats in New Mexico