The Town FilesParaje, New Mexico
Community in Cibola County · population 705 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $33,239
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 40.7
Paraje is a community of 705 people in Cibola County, New Mexico. It ranks more of a college town than 89% of New Mexico towns, better transit than 82% of New Mexico towns, better for families than 79% of New Mexico towns.
How Paraje ranks
Percentile among New Mexico towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Mexico towns.
Homes and cost of living
100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Paraje | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $187,400 |
| Median rent | — | $916 |
| Median household income | $33,239 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Paraje
| People | Paraje | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.7 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.6% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 41.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.7% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 61.7% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 2.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 11.0% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | — min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 60.6% | 82.9% |
Weather in Paraje
July highs average 89.9°F and January lows 18.4°F. About 10.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.0 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Paraje since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on June 3, 2018 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 3, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 3, 2018.
Severe weather in Cibola County since 1996
Cibola County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 26, 2026 | Flood | EM-3660: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4529: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3460: Covid-19 |
| October 29, 2013 | Flood | DR-4152: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| November 23, 2011 | Flood | DR-4047: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Cibola County
Cibola County had 7,226 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,565 a year. Unemployment was 5.2% in 2023; in Paraje itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Paraje
2 public schools with 237 students, about 6.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAGUNA-ACOMA HIGH | 9-12 | 184 | 9.2 |
| LAGUNA-ACOMA MIDDLE | 7-8 | 53 | 3.5 |
Towns near Paraje
- Laguna, NM3.8 mi · 1,282 people · home —
- Skyline-Ganipa, NM8.4 mi · 1,614 people · home $83,900
- Mesita, NM9.0 mi · 793 people · home —
- Highland Meadows, NM18.6 mi · 568 people · home $131,300
- Grants, NM21.9 mi · 9,163 people · home $136,500
- San Rafael, NM25.0 mi · 1,164 people · home $120,400
- Milan, NM26.2 mi · 2,456 people · home $75,500
Paraje questions
Is Paraje, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Paraje scores better for retirees than 36% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 26%. 17.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.7).
What is the weather like in Paraje?
July highs average 89.9°F and January lows 18.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.0 inches of precipitation a year and 15.0 inches of snow.
Does Paraje get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Paraje since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on June 3, 2018. The typical New Mexico town has had 3.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)