Back Las Cruces (Nuevo Mexico) AN لاس كروسيس (نيومكسيكو) Arabic لاس كروسيس ARZ Las Cruces (Nuevu Méxicu) AST لاس کروسس، نیومکزیکو AZB Лас-Крусес Byelorussian Лас Крусес Bulgarian Las Cruces (New Mexico) Breton Las Cruces Catalan Лас-Крусес CE

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Las Cruces, New Mexico
City
Las Cruces with the Organ Mountains in the background
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces Street
Rio Grande Theatre
Our Lady of Health Church
Flag of Las Cruces, New Mexico
Flag
Official seal of Las Cruces, New Mexico
Seal
Nickname: 
The City of the Crosses
Motto: 
Mountains of Opportunity
Location of Las Cruces within Doña Ana County and New Mexico
Location of Las Cruces within Doña Ana County and New Mexico
Las Cruces is located in New Mexico
Las Cruces
Las Cruces
Location within New Mexico
Las Cruces is located in the United States
Las Cruces
Las Cruces
Location within the United States
Coordinates: 32°18′52″N 106°46′44″W / 32.31444°N 106.77889°W / 32.31444; -106.77889
Country United States
State New Mexico
CountyDoña Ana
Founded1849
Incorporated1907[1]: 135 
Government
 • TypeCouncil–manager
 • MayorEric Enriquez
 • City CouncilCassie McClure, Bill Mattice, Becki Graham, Johana Bencomo, Becky Corran, Yvonne Flores
 • City ManagerIkani Taumoepeau
 • City ClerkChristine Rivera
Area
[2]
 • City77.03 sq mi (199.51 km2)
 • Land76.93 sq mi (199.26 km2)
 • Water0.10 sq mi (0.25 km2)
Elevation
[3]
3,901 ft (1,189 m)
Population
 (2020)[4]
 • City111,385
 • Density1,447.82/sq mi (559.00/km2)
 • Metro
217,552 (US: 202th)
DemonymLas Crucen
Time zoneUTC−07:00 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−06:00 (DST)
ZIP Codes
88001, 88003-88007, 88011-88013
Area code575
FIPS code35-39380
GNIS feature ID2411629[3]
Websitewww.lascruces.gov

Las Cruces (/lɑːsˈkruːsɪs/; Spanish: [las 'kruses] "the crosses") is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico and the seat of Doña Ana County. As of the 2020 census the population was 111,385,[5] making Las Cruces the most populous city in both Doña Ana County and southern New Mexico.[6] The Las Cruces metropolitan area had an estimated population of 213,849 in 2017.[7] It is the principal city of a metropolitan statistical area which encompasses all of Doña Ana County and is part of the larger El Paso–Las Cruces combined statistical area with a population of 1,088,420 making it the 56th largest combined statistical area in the United States.

Las Cruces is the economic and geographic center of the Mesilla Valley, the agricultural region on the floodplain of the Rio Grande which extends from Hatch to the west side of El Paso, Texas. Las Cruces is the home of New Mexico State University (NMSU), New Mexico's only land-grant university. The city's major employer is the federal government on nearby White Sands Test Facility and White Sands Missile Range. The Organ Mountains, 10 miles (16 km) to the east, are dominant in the city's landscape, along with the Doña Ana Mountains, Robledo Mountains, and Picacho Peak. Las Cruces lies 225 miles (362 km) south of Albuquerque, 42 miles (68 km) northwest of El Paso, Texas and 41 miles (66 km) north of the Mexican border at Sunland Park.

Spaceport America, which has corporate offices in Las Cruces, operates from 55 miles (89 km) to the north; it has completed several successful crewed, sub-orbital flights. The city is also the headquarters for Virgin Galactic, the world's first company to offer sub-orbital spaceflights.[8]

  1. ^ Harris, Linda G. (1993). Las Cruces: An Illustrated History. Las Cruces: Arroyo Press. ISBN 0-9623682-5-3.
  2. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  3. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Las Cruces, New Mexico
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Las Cruces city, New Mexico". www.census.gov. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  6. ^ "American FactFinder". Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  7. ^ "ACS DEMOGRAPHIC AND HOUSING ESTIMATES 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  8. ^ "Virgin Galactic". www.virgingalactic.com.

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