South African Population in New Mexico by City : 2025 Ranking & Insights
The South African population in New Mexico totals 196, according to recent U.S. Census estimates. Leading cities include Santa Fe (64), followed by Albuquerque (41) and Capitan (34), each hosting visible segments of the community. While these urban centers anchor much of the population, the statewide total points to a broader presence in unincorporated areas and smaller towns beyond major city boundaries. The analysis below explores how South African residents are distributed across New Mexico''s urban and rural landscape.
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Top 5 cities with the largest South African population in New Mexico
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1Santa FeSouth African population in Santa Fe is 640.07% of Santa Fe population is South African
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2AlbuquerqueSouth African population in Albuquerque is 410.01% of Albuquerque population is South African
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3CapitanSouth African population in Capitan is 342.69% of Capitan population is South African
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4FarmingtonSouth African population in Farmington is 140.03% of Farmington population is South African
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5AlamogordoSouth African population in Alamogordo is 0- of Alamogordo population is South African
Overview of South African population in New Mexico
- Population Count and Percentage: American Community Survey data indicate New Mexico contains 196 South African residents (less than 0.01% of 2.1 million total state population), positioning the state at the 12th percentile nationally among U.S. states for South African population concentrations.
- Comparison to State and National Averages: U.S. Census surveys show New Mexico's South African demographic representation of less than 0.01% remains below the national average of 0.025%, positioning the state below typical U.S. demographic distribution patterns.
- Share of Total National Population: Official American Community Survey data indicates New Mexico contains 196 South African residents, representing less than 1% of the nation's total South African population of 83,184, constituting a minimal fraction of the national demographic community relative to the state's overall population size.
- Population Density per Square Mile: U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey data indicate New Mexico maintains fewer than 1 South African per square mile, compared to the national average of 0.024 per square mile, placing the state among jurisdictions with minimal demographic representation nationally.
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74 Cities in New Mexico Ranked by South African Population
American Community Survey data [1] show South African population in New Mexico present in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Capitan, along with several other incorporated cities reporting non-zero populations. The table below provides broader statistics, including total population figures, density measures, and demographic distributions based on current ACS data for all incorporated cities included in this analysis*.
Methodology
This ranking list is based on data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS is one of the most reliable sources for understanding population trends across different locations, and it provides estimates for various racial and ethnic groups at city, county, state and all geography levels down to the Census block group.
This list ranks city in New Mexico by their South African population, using the most recent ACS data available.
How the Census defines South African population
The U.S. Census Bureau allows people to self-identify their ancestry, meaning individuals can write upto ancestries when responding to the survey. In this ranking, we include everyone who identifies as having South African ancestry, whether alone or in combination with another ancestry.
Here are a few important things to know about how ancestry is reported:
- Some people identify as South African alone, while others identify as South African along with another race (such as South African and German).
- We’ve used the “South African alone or in any combination” category unless noted otherwise, which gives a broader picture of the South African population in each area.
How We Ranked the Data
This ranking is based on the total number of people who identified as South African alone or in combination in city. To provide additional context, we’ve also included two key percentages:
- % of Total City Population – This shows what percentage of the total state population identifies as South African .
- % of Total New Mexico South African Population – This tells us how much of the entire U.S. South African population lives in that state.
To keep things simple, all population numbers have been rounded to the nearest whole number, and percentages are rounded to one decimal place. Because of rounding, some percentages may not add up to exactly 100%.
Things to Keep in Mind
Like all survey-based data, ACS estimates come with some limitations. Here are a few things to be aware of:
- In places with very small South African populations, the numbers may not be reported at all due to privacy protections or sampling variability in the survey.
- Since the ACS is based on a sample, the numbers are estimates, not exact counts. That means they may slightly differ from other sources like the decennial U.S. Census.
- City that don’t have any reported South African population are not included in the ranking but are listed separately below for reference.
This ranking is meant to provide a clear, data-driven look at where South African populations are most concentrated while keeping the numbers easy to understand.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles 2023.
