Mora County is a county in New Mexico, United States, in the north-central highlands between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the plains east of Las Vegas. It had a population of 4,189 at the 2020 census and covers 1,934 square miles (5,010 km2) centred near 36°01′N 104°56′W.
Mora is the county seat, and its postal code is 87732. The county has one incorporated village, three census-designated places, and a scatter of unincorporated mountain and river-valley communities; there are no civil townships. Mora County observes Mountain Time.
Towns & Villages in Mora County
Mora County has one village, three census-designated places (CDPs), and roughly two dozen unincorporated communities strung along the Mora and Sapello river valleys and the old Santa Fe Trail corridor. Most are small Hispano settlements dating to Spanish and Mexican-era land grants, without their own municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mora | CDP · seat | — | 87732 |
| Wagon Mound | Village | — | 87752 |
| Watrous | CDP | — | 87753 |
| La Cueva | CDP | — | 87732 |
| Guadalupita | Unincorp. | — | 87722 |
| Holman | Unincorp. | — | 87723 |
| Chacon | Unincorp. | — | 87713 |
| Ocate | Unincorp. | — | 87734 |
| Rainsville | Unincorp. | — | 87736 |
| Ojo Feliz | Unincorp. | — | 87735 |
| Cleveland | Unincorp. | — | 87715 |
| Valmora | Unincorp. | — | 87750 |
| Buena Vista | Unincorp. | — | 87712 |
| Cordillera | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ledoux | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Golondrinas | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Los Cisneros | Unincorp. | — | — |
| La Jara | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Canoncito | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Optimo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gascon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Levy | Unincorp. | — | — |
Wagon Mound, in the county’s northeast corner, and Watrous, near the county’s eastern edge, both sit closer to the Interstate 25 corridor than to Mora itself and function as their own small trade points along U.S. 85 and the old Santa Fe Trail.
ZIP Codes
- 87732 — Mora (also serves La Cueva)
- 87752 — Wagon Mound
- 87753 — Watrous
- 87722 — Guadalupita
- 87723 — Holman
- 87713 — Chacon
- 87734 — Ocate
- 87736 — Rainsville
- 87735 — Ojo Feliz
- 87715 — Cleveland
- 87750 — Valmora
- 87712 — Buena Vista
Smaller communities such as Cordillera, Ledoux, Golondrinas, Canoncito and Gascon share a ZIP with the nearest post office town rather than having their own.
Geography
Mora County rises from rolling grassland in the east to the timbered slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the west, where Truchas Peak, at 13,102 feet the highest point in New Mexico, sits on the county’s western boundary. The Mora River and its tributaries, including the Sapello and Coyote creeks, drain the county’s valleys and gave the county its Spanish name (mora meaning “mulberry” or “blackberry”). Mora County borders Colfax County to the north, Harding County to the east, San Miguel County to the south, Santa Fe County to the southwest, Rio Arriba County to the west, and Taos County to the northwest.
Demographics
Mora County had 4,189 residents at the 2020 census, down from a peak of roughly 14,000 in the 1920s. Mora, the county seat and largest place, and Wagon Mound, the county’s only incorporated village, are the two largest population centers. The county’s median household income runs well below the New Mexico median of $62,268, reflecting a rural, ranching-and-timber economy with a shrinking population base. Population density is roughly 2 people per square mile, among the lowest of any New Mexico county.
Economy & Local Life
Ranching, small-scale farming and timber have anchored the local economy since Spanish-colonial land grants first settled the Mora Valley. Mora County government and the Mora Independent Schools district are among the largest employers, alongside acequia-irrigated hay and livestock operations. In April 2013, Mora County became the first county in the United States to ban oil and gas extraction on both public and private land, a decision that drew national attention and later legal challenges.
History
Mora County was organized on February 1, 1860, one of New Mexico’s original territorial counties, built around settlements dating to the 1835 Mora Land Grant. The Mora Valley saw the First and Second Battles of Mora in January and February 1847, clashes between local Hispano and Pueblo forces and U.S. troops during the Mexican-American War, among the bloodiest resistance actions in New Mexico Territory. Wagon Mound takes its name from a mesa along the Santa Fe Trail that resembled a covered wagon to passing travelers.
Getting There
New Mexico State Road 434 runs through Mora and the county’s western valleys, while U.S. Route 85 and Interstate 25 cross the county’s eastern edge near Wagon Mound and Watrous.
- Las Vegas, New Mexico — 25 miles south
- Angel Fire — 30 miles northwest
- Taos — 45 miles northwest
- Santa Fe — 60 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport is Santa Fe Regional Airport, roughly an hour and a half’s drive southwest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Mora County?
It is in north-central New Mexico, in the highlands between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the plains east of Las Vegas, New Mexico.
What is the population of Mora County?
4,189 at the 2020 census.
How big is Mora County?
1,934 square miles (5,010 km2), most of it land.
What is the county seat of Mora County?
Mora, a census-designated place.
How many towns are in Mora County?
One incorporated village (Wagon Mound), three CDPs, and about two dozen smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Mora County?
Twelve, led by 87732 (Mora), 87752 (Wagon Mound) and 87753 (Watrous).
Why did Mora County ban oil and gas drilling?
In April 2013 the county commission voted to prohibit oil and gas extraction on public and private land, citing water and land-use concerns, becoming the first U.S. county to do so.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in New Mexico.