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Ruidoso, New Mexico

Village · Population 7,640 · #26 in New Mexico
Only Ruidoso in Americaclose-knit town🌐 ruidoso-nm.uscitysearch.com
Ruidoso, New Mexico

Ruidoso is a village in Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States, adjacent to the Lincoln National Forest. The population was 7,679 at the 2020 census.

Photo & intro: Wikipedia

About Ruidoso

Ruidoso is a close-knit town in southeastern New Mexico counting 7,640 people who proudly call it home.

Officially, Ruidoso is an incorporated village, one of the most intimate forms of local government in America. The community covers 16.13 square miles, giving it wide-open spaces and a spread-out, rural feel at roughly 474 residents per square mile.

What Makes Ruidoso Unique

  • The only place in America named Ruidoso — a truly one-of-a-kind name among 32,000+ US communities.
  • Positioned in southeastern New Mexico, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
  • Part of the fabric of New Mexico — one of 528 recognized communities statewide.

Why People Love It Here

  • The sweet spot: real amenities without big-city congestion.
  • Local businesses and schools anchored by a stable resident base of 7,640.
  • Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 14 miles.

🍽️ Where to Eat in Ruidoso

  • Casa Blanca
  • Lincoln County Grill
  • Lucy's Mexicali Restaurant — mexican
  • Rio Grande
  • Sacred Grounds Coffee (café)
  • Starbucks — coffee shop (café)
  • Zocca Coffee (café)
  • Anaheim Jack's — burger
  • Cattle Baron
  • El Camino Nuevo — mexican

Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🎡 Fun Things to Do

  • Ruidoso River Museum · Museum
  • 2905 · Art gallery

Attractions mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Ruidoso

Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.

🏫 Schools in Ruidoso

  • RUIDOSO HIGH
  • RUIDOSO MIDDLE
  • SIERRA VISTA PRIMARY
  • WHITE MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY

Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.

🏥 Hospitals & Healthcare

  • Lincoln County Medical Center ★★ (2/5 CMS rating) · 24/7 ER · Critical Access Hospitals

Medicare-registered hospitals with official CMS star ratings.

⚡ Quick Facts

TypeVillage
Population (2024)7,640
Rank in state#26 of 105
Land area16.13 sq mi
Density474/sq mi
Coordinates33.3496, -105.6688

🗺️ Map of Ruidoso