Los Lunas, New Mexico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Los Lunas, New Mexico
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Village
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| Village of Los Lunas | |
Los Lunas Public Library
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| Nickname(s):
The Moon, Looneyville
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Location of Los Lunas, New Mexico
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 Los Lunas, New Mexico
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Valencia |
| Area | |
| • Total | 20.37 sq mi (52.75 km2) |
| • Land | 20.36 sq mi (52.74 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,856 ft (1,480 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 17,242 |
| • Density | 846.73/sq mi (326.93/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
87031
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| Area code(s) | 505 |
| FIPS code | 35-43370 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0891361 |
| Website | www.loslunasnm.gov |
Los Lunas is a village in Valencia County, New Mexico, United States. In 2020, about 17,242 people lived there. It is the main town, or county seat, of Valencia County. Los Lunas is also part of the larger Albuquerque area.
Contents
History of Los Lunas
The land for Los Lunas was first given to Don Adrian Luna Candelaria in 1716. However, within two years, it became the property of the Luna family. Some battles during the Civil War were fought near the village. Los Lunas became the county seat in 1876. It officially became an incorporated village in 1928. The Los Lunas Decalogue Stone, a mysterious stone with ancient writings, is found nearby.
During and after World War II, the United States Army Air Forces used a bombing range here. It was used by planes from the 509th Bomb Wing based at Kirtland Army Air Field.
Geography and Climate
Los Lunas covers about 10.1 square miles (26.0 km2) of land. The village is located in the Rio Grande Valley. It sits on the west bank of the Rio Grande river. You can find it on State Highway 6, just east of Interstate 25. A volcano called El Cerro de Los Lunas is a noticeable landmark on the western side of the village.
Los Lunas Climate
Los Lunas has a cold semi-arid climate. This means it is generally dry and can have cold winters. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Los Lunas was 108°F (42°C) on June 28, 2013. The coldest temperature recorded was -25°F (-32°C) on January 7, 1971.
| Climate data for Los Lunas, New Mexico, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1923–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 75 (24) |
81 (27) |
87 (31) |
93 (34) |
102 (39) |
108 (42) |
106 (41) |
103 (39) |
100 (38) |
93 (34) |
84 (29) |
74 (23) |
108 (42) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 65.8 (18.8) |
72.3 (22.4) |
81.2 (27.3) |
86.4 (30.2) |
94.3 (34.6) |
101.7 (38.7) |
102.3 (39.1) |
99.1 (37.3) |
95.4 (35.2) |
87.9 (31.1) |
76.0 (24.4) |
65.9 (18.8) |
103.3 (39.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 51.4 (10.8) |
57.7 (14.3) |
65.7 (18.7) |
73.1 (22.8) |
81.7 (27.6) |
91.8 (33.2) |
93.3 (34.1) |
91.1 (32.8) |
85.0 (29.4) |
74.3 (23.5) |
60.9 (16.1) |
50.2 (10.1) |
73.0 (22.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 35.2 (1.8) |
40.5 (4.7) |
47.9 (8.8) |
55.1 (12.8) |
64.1 (17.8) |
73.7 (23.2) |
77.7 (25.4) |
75.7 (24.3) |
68.3 (20.2) |
56.4 (13.6) |
43.7 (6.5) |
35.0 (1.7) |
56.1 (13.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 19.0 (−7.2) |
23.4 (−4.8) |
30.1 (−1.1) |
37.2 (2.9) |
46.4 (8.0) |
55.5 (13.1) |
62.2 (16.8) |
60.3 (15.7) |
51.7 (10.9) |
38.4 (3.6) |
26.6 (−3.0) |
19.7 (−6.8) |
39.2 (4.0) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 7.4 (−13.7) |
10.5 (−11.9) |
16.5 (−8.6) |
24.9 (−3.9) |
33.4 (0.8) |
44.3 (6.8) |
53.3 (11.8) |
51.7 (10.9) |
39.3 (4.1) |
25.5 (−3.6) |
12.6 (−10.8) |
7.0 (−13.9) |
3.8 (−15.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −25 (−32) |
−15 (−26) |
4 (−16) |
16 (−9) |
20 (−7) |
35 (2) |
39 (4) |
41 (5) |
31 (−1) |
14 (−10) |
−15 (−26) |
−5 (−21) |
−25 (−32) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.45 (11) |
0.42 (11) |
0.54 (14) |
0.55 (14) |
0.49 (12) |
0.52 (13) |
1.55 (39) |
1.53 (39) |
1.15 (29) |
0.92 (23) |
0.57 (14) |
0.54 (14) |
9.23 (233) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.5 (3.8) |
0.7 (1.8) |
0.3 (0.76) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.4 (1.0) |
0.6 (1.5) |
1.6 (4.1) |
5.1 (12.96) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 8.3 | 7.8 | 5.6 | 4.3 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 51.6 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.8 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 876 | — | |
| 1930 | 513 | — | |
| 1940 | 686 | 33.7% | |
| 1950 | 889 | 29.6% | |
| 1960 | 1,186 | 33.4% | |
| 1970 | 973 | −18.0% | |
| 1980 | 3,525 | 262.3% | |
| 1990 | 6,013 | 70.6% | |
| 2000 | 10,034 | 66.9% | |
| 2010 | 14,835 | 47.8% | |
| 2020 | 17,242 | 16.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Los Lunas has grown quite a bit over the years. In 1880, only 876 people lived there. By 2020, the population had grown to 17,242.
Population in 2010
According to the 2010 U.S. Census:
- 72.1% of people were White.
- 2.0% were Black.
- 2.5% were Native American.
- 0.8% were Asian.
- 0.1% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.
- 4.2% were of Two or more races.
- 18.3% were of Other races.
Population in 2000
In the year 2000, there were 10,034 people living in Los Lunas. There were 3,601 households, and 2,689 families. About 41.9% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.75 people. The average family had 3.16 people.
The population was spread out by age:
- 31.1% were under 18 years old.
- 9.6% were from 18 to 24 years old.
- 30.1% were from 25 to 44 years old.
- 20.2% were from 45 to 64 years old.
- 8.9% were 65 years or older.
The average age was 32 years.
Economy and Transportation
On September 14, 2016, Facebook announced plans to build a data center in Los Lunas. Construction started in October 2016. This center uses the newest technology and is protected from dust storms. It is powered by 100% clean energy from solar and wind plants. This project created 300 construction jobs and 50 permanent jobs. The data center officially opened on February 7, 2019.
The village has good transportation links. The New Mexico Rail Runner Express commuter train serves Los Lunas at the Los Lunas station. Major roads like Interstate 25 in New Mexico, New Mexico State Road 314, and New Mexico State Road 6 also serve the area.
Arts and Culture
Los Lunas hosts many fun events throughout the year. Some popular annual events include:
- The St. Patrick's Day Balloon Rally.
- The Fourth of July Parade, celebration, and fireworks at Daniel Fernandez Park.
- The Holiday Electric Light Parade on Main Street (NM Highway 6).
Education
The public schools in Los Lunas are managed by Los Lunas Public Schools. The district includes:
- Three high schools.
- Two middle schools.
- One intermediate school.
- Ten elementary schools.
There is also a special program called Family School. It combines public school learning with homeschooling. This program is located at the Daniel Fernandez Elementary Campus.
Los Lunas schools grew quickly in the 1990s and early 2000s. Los Lunas High School had almost 2,500 students around 2004. To help with this growth, Valencia High School opened in 2006.
Famous People from Los Lunas
- Rosie Hamlin: A singer known for the song Angel Baby.
- Sal Artiaga: A former president of Minor League Baseball.
- Bo Diddley: A famous rock musician who lived in Los Lunas in the 1970s.
- Anton Docher: Also known as The Padre of Isleta, he served as a priest in Los Lunas.
- Michael A. Montoya: The 26th New Mexico State Treasurer.
- Adelina Otero-Warren: A leader in the women's right to vote movement.
- Walter Jon Williams: An author who has won the Nebula Award for his science fiction books.
See also
In Spanish: Los Lunas para niños
