The Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area, sometimes referred to as Tiguex (named after the

Southern Tiwa The Southern Tiwa language is a Tanoan language spoken at Sandia Pueblo and Isleta Pueblo in New Mexico and Ysleta del Sur in Texas. Classification Southern Tiwa belongs to the Tiwa sub-grouping of the Kiowa–Tanoan language family. It is cl ...

), is a

metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...

in central

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

centered on the city of

Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), also known as ABQ, Burque, the Duke City, and in the past 'the Q', is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernal ...

. The metro comprises four counties: Bernalillo,

Sandoval Sandoval is a habitational surname of Spanish language, Spanish origin. It primarily originates from Sandoval de la Reina, Spain, earlier called ''Sannoval'', which is a blend word of Latin ''saltus'' (meaning 'grove' or 'wood') and Latin ''novalis ...

, Torrance, and

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

. As of the 2010 United States census, the MSA had a population of 887,077. The population is estimated to be 923,630 as of July 1, 2020, making Greater Albuquerque the 61st-largest MSA in the nation. The Albuquerque MSA forms a part of the larger

Albuquerque–Santa Fe–Los Alamos combined statistical area The Albuquerque–Santa Fe–Los Alamos combined statistical area (known as the Santa Fe–Española combined statistical area until 2013) is made up of eight counties in north central New Mexico. The combined statistical area consists of the Alb ...

with a 2020 estimated population of 1,165,181, ranked 49th-largest in the country.

History

It was the center of the

Aztec The Aztecs ( ) were a Mesoamerican civilization that flourished in central Mexico in the Post-Classic stage, post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different Indigenous peoples of Mexico, ethnic groups of central ...

legend of the

Seven Cities of Gold The myth of the Seven Cities of Gold, also known as the Seven Cities of Cíbola (), was popular in the 16th century and later featured in several works of popular culture. According to legend, the seven cities of gold referred to Aztec mythology ...

, sometimes called the "cities of Cibola". The Tiguex Province of

Santa Fe de Nuevo México Santa Fe de Nuevo México (; shortened as Nuevo México or Nuevo Méjico, and translated as New Mexico in English) was a province of the Spanish Empire and New Spain, and later a territory of independent Mexico. The first capital was San Juan d ...

was named after the

speaking

Puebloans The Pueblo peoples are Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans in the Southwestern United States who share common agricultural, material, and religious practices. Among the currently inhabited Pueblos, Taos Pueblo, Taos, San Il ...

in the area, they inhabited the area along with the Jemez and Keres people. The area between Bernalillo and Corrales was being farmed for

sacramental wine Sacramental wine, Communion wine, altar wine, or wine for consecration is wine obtained from grapes and intended for use in celebration of the Eucharist (also referred to as the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion, among other names). It is usually ...

since 1620, which started the

New Mexico wine New Mexico has a long history of wine production, within American wine, especially along the Rio Grande, from its capital Santa Fe, the city of Albuquerque with its surrounding metropolitan area, and in valleys like the Mesilla and the Mimbr ...

heritage. Following this early

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

industry several Spanish towns were founded, including Barelas in 1662 and Bernalillo in 1695. The main city,

, was founded on 1706 as ''La Villa de Alburquerque'' as the trade center for the region. During the 19th century, ''Nuevo México'' and its Tiguex Province were acquired by the United States as a part of the

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially ended the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). It was signed on 2 February 1848 in the town of Villa de Guadalupe, Mexico City, Guadalupe Hidalgo. After the defeat of its army and the fall of the cap ...

. Becoming the

New Mexico Territory The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912. It was created from the U.S. provisional government of New Mexico, as a result of '' Nuevo México'' becomi ...

it became a prominent aspect of the

American frontier The American frontier, also known as the Old West, and popularly known as the Wild West, encompasses the Geography of the United States, geography, History of the United States, history, Folklore of the United States, folklore, and Cultur ...

during the 19th century, being highlighted in

Western fiction Western fiction is a genre of literature set in the American Old West frontier and typically set from the late eighteenth to the late nineteenth century. Well-known writers of Western fiction include Zane Grey from the early 20th century and ...

with

Billy the Kid Henry McCarty (September 17 or November 23, 1859July 14, 1881), alias William H. Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid, was an American outlaw and gunfighter of the Old West who was linked to nine murders: four for which he was solely res ...

, Elfego Baca, and

Geronimo Gerónimo (, ; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a military leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache bands the Tchihen ...

becoming lasting icons in later adaptation to film. In the 20th century

gained statehood, and since then trade in the region grew due to growth in technology, media, and agriculture sectors, driven by the New Mexico Technology Corridor, media in Albuquerque, and

New Mexican cuisine New Mexican cuisine is the cuisine of the Southwestern US state of New Mexico. It is known for its fusion of Pueblo Native American cuisine with Hispano Spanish and Mexican culinary traditions, rooted in the historical region of . This So ...

Counties

* Bernalillo *

* Torrance *

Communities

Cities

(Principal city) 562,599 * Belen 7,423 * Moriarty 1,940 * Rio Communities 4,977 *

Rio Rancho Rio Rancho () is the largest and most populous city in Sandoval County, part of the expansive Albuquerque metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of New Mexico. A small portion of the city extends into northern Bernalillo County. It is the third ...

105,815

Towns

* Bernalillo *

Estancia An estancia or estância is a large, private plot of land used for farming or raising cattle or sheep. Estancias are located in the southern South American grasslands of Chilean and Argentine Patagonia, while the ''pampas'' have historically bee ...

Mountainair Mountainair is a town in Torrance County, New Mexico, United States. It was founded in 1902 by John Corbett, Colonel E. C. Manning, and Elias S. Stover. The population was 884 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Stat ...

* Peralta

Villages

* Bosque Farms * Corrales *

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

* Encino * Jemez Springs *

Los Lunas Los Lunas is a village in Valencia County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 census, the village has a population of 17,242. It is the county seat of Valencia County. Los Lunas is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area. ...

Los Ranchos de Albuquerque Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, also known simply as "Los Ranchos", is a village in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernalillo County, New Mexico. The population was 6,024 at the time of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 Census. Description Part of ...

* San Ysidro * Tijeras * Willard

Census-designated places

* Algodones * Carnuel * Casa Colorada * Cedar Crest * Chilili *

Cochiti Cochiti (; Eastern Keresan: Kotyit ʰocʰi̥tʰ Western Keresan K’úutìim’é ʼúːtʰìːm̰é Navajo: ''Tǫ́ʼgaaʼ'' /tʰṍʔkɑ̀ːʔ/) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States. A historic pu ...

* El Cerro-Monterey Park * Isleta Village Proper * Jarales *

Jemez Pueblo Jemez Pueblo (/ˈhɛmɛz/; , ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,963 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area. The CDP is named after ...

* La Jara * Los Chavez * Los Trujillos-Gabaldon * Manzano * Meadow Lake * North Valley * Paradise Hills * Peña Blanca * Placitas * Ponderosa * Pueblo of Sandia Village * Regina * Rio Communities North * Rio Communities *

San Felipe Pueblo San Felipe Pueblo ( Eastern Keres: Katishtya, Navajo ''Tsédááʼkin'') is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States, and is located 10 miles (16 km) north of Bernalillo. As of the 2000 census, the CDP ...

Santa Ana Pueblo Santa Ana Pueblo ( Eastern Keres: Tamaya ʰɑmɑjːɑ is a settlement in Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States, of Native Americans who speak an eastern dialect of the Keresan languages. For statistical purposes, the United States Census ...

* Santo Domingo Pueblo * South Valley * Tajique * Tome-Adelino * Torreon (Sandoval County) * Torreon (Torrance County) *

Zia Pueblo Zia Pueblo ( Eastern Keres: Tsi'ya, Ts'iiy'a, ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 646 at the 2000 census, with 310 males and 336 females. The pueblo after which the CDP is named ...

Partial inclusions and future developments

Neighboring

Laguna Pueblo The Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico ( Western Keres: Kawaika ʰɑwɑjkʰɑ is a federally recognized tribe of Native American Pueblo people in west-central New Mexico, near the city of Albuquerque, in the United States. Part of the Laguna ...

borders the metropolitan area, and part of its boundaries are included the metropolitan population. Most notably the area surrounding Route 66 Resort and Casino.

Mesa del Sol Mesa del Sol (Spanish for "table of the sun") is an uncompleted mixed-use master planned community in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mesa del Sol, a mixed-use community, is located on Albuquerque's South Mesa. By combining job creation with sustainabl ...

and Santolina on the

West Mesa 300px, View of downtown Albuquerque and the Manzano Mountains from the West Mesa The West Mesa is an elevated landmass lying west of the Rio Grande in the Albuquerque area, stretching from the Pajarito Mesa in the South Valley northward to Be ...

in rural

Bernalillo County Bernalillo County (; ) is the most populous county in the U.S. state of New Mexico.Bernalillo ...

are planned for 100,000 inhabitants each and are

's largest such planned developments.

Demographics

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 887,077 people, 347,366 households, and 222,811 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 49.63%

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

, 2.68%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 5.86% Native American, 2.02% Asian, 0.10%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 15.40% from one other race, and 4.32% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 46.70% of the population. The median income for a household in the MSA was $47,383 and the median income for a family was $59,158. Males had a median income of $31,486 versus $20,497 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the MSA was $25,044. According to 2014-2018 census data, 89.7% of the population was a high school graduate or higher, and 34.7% had a bachelor's degree or higher.

Labor force

Albuquerque MSA Estimated Employment (August 2006)

References

{{authority control +Met Metropolitan areas of New Mexico Geography of Bernalillo County, New Mexico Geography of Sandoval County, New Mexico Geography of Torrance County, New Mexico Geography of Valencia County, New Mexico