Elephant Butte, New Mexico

Elephant Butte is a city in Sierra County, New Mexico, United States, located near Elephant Butte Reservoir and Elephant Butte Lake State Park. The population was 1,431 at the time of the 2010 census.

Elephant Butte, New Mexico
City
Elephant Butte Municipal Offices
Location of Elephant Butte, New Mexico
Elephant Butte, New Mexico Location in the United States
Coordinates: 33°11′23″N 107°13′22″W
Country	United States
State	New Mexico
County	Sierra
Government
• City manager	Vicki Ballinger
• Mayor	Edna Trager
Area [1]
• Total	4.19 sq mi (10.85 km^2)
• Land	4.18 sq mi (10.82 km^2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km^2)
Elevation	4,465 ft (1,361 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	1,431
• Estimate  (2019)[2]	1,310
• Density	313.47/sq mi (121.04/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code	87935
Area code(s)	575
FIPS code	35-22720
GNIS feature ID	0898770
Website	http://cityofelephantbutte.com/

History

Elephant Butte was named from Elephant Butte, a butte nearby thought to resemble an elephant.[3]

Geography

Elephant Butte is located at 33°11′23″N 107°13′22″W (33.189809, -107.222873).[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.0 square miles (7.8 km²), all land.

Government

As of September 2020, the current mayor of Elephant Butte is Edna Trager, while Vicki Ballinger serves as city manager.[5][6]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
2000	1,390		—
2010	1,431		2.9%
2019 (est.)	1,310	[2]	−8.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]

At the 2010 census there were 1,431 people in 772 households, including 464 families, in the city. The population density was 477.0 people per square mile. There were 1,316 housing units at an average density of 438.7 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 92.2% White, 0.3% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 2.9% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.6%.[8]

Of the 772 households 7.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were married couples living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.9% were non-families. 9.3% of households had individuals under 18 years and 56.0% had individuals age 65 or older. The average household size was 1.85 and the average family size was 2.31.

The age distribution was 8.7% under the age of 18 and 43% 65 or older. The median age was 62.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.2 males.

As of the 2000 census, the median household income was $31,705, and the median family income was $37,344. Males had a median income of $30,809 versus $22,125 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,345. About 7.4% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.4% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

• Crystal Diamond, member-elect of the New Mexico Senate
• David Parker Ray, kidnapper, torturer, rapist and suspected serial killer[9]

See also

• Cibola National Forest
• Apache Kid Wilderness
• Fort McRae

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
3. Julyan, Robert Hixson (1 January 1996). The Place Names of New Mexico. UNM Press. p. 121. ISBN 978-0-8263-1689-9.
4. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
5. "Mayor – Council - City of Elephant Butte". City of Elephant Butte. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
6. "City Manager - City of Elephant Butte". City of Elephant Butte. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
7. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
8. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
9. Toy-Box Killer David Parker Ray

External links

• Elephant Butte Chamber of Commerce