Black Rock ( nv, ) is an unincorporated community and a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, suc ...

(CDP) in

McKinley County McKinley County is a county in the northwestern section of the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 United States Census, its population was 71,367. Its county seat is Gallup. The county was created in 1901 and named for President William ...

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , Offi ...

, United States. The population was 1,323 at the 2010 census.

Geography

Black Rock is located on the Zuñi Reservation on the left bank (south side) of the Zuñi River, approximately four miles east of the town of Zuñi, on the north side of NM Route 53. Immediately to the east of the community is the Black Rock Reservoir, which was created in 1908 by damming the Zuni River. The dam has undergone serious rebuilding three times since 1908, the most recent in the mid 1990s. Black Rock has a non-commercial airstrip built just after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, but not paved until 1970. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and (3.43%) is water.

History

There was a spring at Black Rock and the Zuñi had irrigated fields there since about 3000 BP (950

BCE Common Era (CE) and Before the Common Era (BCE) are year notations for the Gregorian calendar (and its predecessor, the Julian calendar), the world's most widely used calendar era. Common Era and Before the Common Era are alternatives to the or ...

). The Zuñi had a small, seasonally occupied village on the lava flow, just north of the river, which the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

called "Ranchos de Zuñi".

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 1,252 people, 319 households, and 283 families residing in the CDP. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 740.1 people per square mile (286.0/km²). There were 349 housing units at an average density of 206.3 per square mile (79.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 89.70% Native American, 7.99%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 0.24% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, 0.16%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.16% Asian, and 1.76% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 2.72% of the population. There were 319 households, out of which 62.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 35.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 11.0% were non-families. 9.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 0.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.88 and the average family size was 4.06. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 44.3% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 10.9% from 45 to 64, and 2.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $16,442, and the median income for a family was $14,950. Males had a median income of $17,105 versus $16,563 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the CDP was $6,952. About 57.2% of families and 61.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 73.8% of those under age 18 and 100.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

It is in

Zuni Public Schools Zuni Public School District (ZPSD) is a school district headquartered in the Zuni Pueblo census-designated place of unincorporated McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. It includes sections in Cibola County and McKinley County (including Z ...

Zuni High School Zuni High School (ZHS) is a public high school in Black Rock, New Mexico, with a Zuni Pueblo postal address. It is a part of the Zuni Public School District. It includes sections in Cibola County and McKinley County (including Zuni Pueblo and Bl ...

is the zoned high school.

Transport

Tribally-run A:shiwi Transit connects

Zuni Pueblo Zuni Pueblo (also Zuñi Pueblo, Zuni: ''Halona Idiwan’a'' meaning ‘Middle Place’) is a census-designated place (CDP) in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 6,302 as of the 2010 Census. It is inhabited largely b ...

and Black Rock with

Gallup Gallup may refer to: * Gallup, Inc., a firm founded by George Gallup, well known for its opinion poll * Gallup (surname), a surname *Gallup, New Mexico, a city in New Mexico, United States ** Gallup station, an Amtrak train in downtown Gallup, New ...