Roswell is a city in New Mexico, United States. It is the main city of Chaves County. In 2020, about 48,422 people lived there. This makes it the fifth-largest city in New Mexico.

Roswell is home to the New Mexico Military Institute, a school founded in 1891. It also has a campus of Eastern New Mexico University. Nearby, you can find the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Bottomless Lakes State Park.

The city is famous for the Roswell incident. This event happened in 1947 when something crashed near Roswell. Many people believe it was a UFO (Unidentified Flying Object). The local Roswell Army Air Field handled the investigation. Every year, a UFO Festival is held to remember this event.

In the 1930s, Robert H. Goddard did important work on rockets in Roswell. The Roswell Museum has an exhibit about his rocket workshop. Goddard High School is named after him.

Roswell's tourism focuses on ufology (the study of UFOs) and alien themes. You can visit the International UFO Museum and Research Center. The city also has farming, ranching, and some factories. Roswell has won the All-America City Award multiple times.

History of Roswell

The White family home, built in 1912, is now a museum.

Roswell flood

The first non-native people tried to settle near Roswell in 1865. They were from Missouri but left because there was not enough water. This place was called Missouri Plaza.

In 1869, Van C. Smith and Aaron Wilburn built two adobe buildings. These became a store, post office, and a place for travelers to stay. In 1871, Smith claimed the land. On August 20, 1873, he became the town's first postmaster. Smith named the town Roswell after his father, Roswell Smith.

In 1877, Captain Joseph Calloway Lea bought the land from Smith and Wilburn. He became the owner of most of Roswell. The town stayed peaceful during the Lincoln County War (1877–1879).

A big discovery happened in 1890 when a merchant found a large underground water source. This led to the town's first major growth. More growth came when the Pecos Valley Railroad arrived in 1892.

During World War II, there was a prisoner-of-war camp nearby. German prisoners helped build roads and other things in Roswell. One group made an iron cross shape with rocks on a riverbank. This area is now called POW/MIA Park. It even has a piece of the Berlin Wall.

Roswell was important for the military from 1941 to 1967. The Walker Air Force Base closed in 1967. After that, Roswell became a popular place for people to retire.

The Roswell Daily Record newspaper on July 8, 1947, reported a "flying saucer" was found.

Roswell is well-known because of the UFO incident of 1947. People reported that an object crashed near the town. Some believe it was an extraterrestrial spacecraft with aliens. Many think the military covered up what really happened. Today, businesses in Roswell welcome tourists who are interested in UFOs and aliens.

In 2012, Felix Baumgartner made a record-breaking skydive in Roswell.

Roswell's Geography and Climate

Roswell is in the High Plains of southeastern New Mexico. It is about 7 miles (11 km) west of the Pecos River. Major roads like U.S. Routes 70, 285, and 380 meet in the city.

The city covers about 29.776 square miles (77.119 km²). Most of this area is land.

Weather in Roswell

Roswell has four different seasons. It has a cold semi-arid climate. Winters are cool and sunny, and it can snow. Spring is mild and often warm. Summers are very hot, with temperatures often going above 100°F (38°C).

During summer, the North American monsoon brings heavy rain and thunderstorms. These storms can have strong winds and hail. Sometimes, even tornadoes can happen. The rain helps cool down the hot plains. Fall is usually warm and pleasant. Snow can fall from late October to March.

The coldest temperature ever recorded in Roswell was -24°F (-31°C). The hottest was 114°F (46°C).

Climate data for Roswell, New Mexico (Roswell Air Park), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	88 (31)	91 (33)	95 (35)	102 (39)	107 (42)	114 (46)	112 (44)	111 (44)	106 (41)	99 (37)	94 (34)	84 (29)	114 (46)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	76.2 (24.6)	80.4 (26.9)	87.3 (30.7)	93.1 (33.9)	100.4 (38.0)	106.3 (41.3)	104.0 (40.0)	102.5 (39.2)	98.1 (36.7)	93.0 (33.9)	82.2 (27.9)	75.3 (24.1)	108.0 (42.2)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	57.3 (14.1)	63.2 (17.3)	71.0 (21.7)	79.4 (26.3)	87.8 (31.0)	96.2 (35.7)	96.5 (35.8)	94.6 (34.8)	87.6 (30.9)	77.7 (25.4)	65.7 (18.7)	56.5 (13.6)	77.8 (25.4)
Daily mean °F (°C)	42.7 (5.9)	47.8 (8.8)	55.2 (12.9)	63.2 (17.3)	72.3 (22.4)	81.0 (27.2)	83.2 (28.4)	81.6 (27.6)	74.4 (23.6)	63.2 (17.3)	51.0 (10.6)	42.4 (5.8)	63.2 (17.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	28.1 (−2.2)	32.5 (0.3)	39.4 (4.1)	47.0 (8.3)	56.7 (13.7)	65.7 (18.7)	69.9 (21.1)	68.6 (20.3)	61.2 (16.2)	48.8 (9.3)	36.3 (2.4)	28.1 (−2.2)	48.5 (9.2)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	14.4 (−9.8)	17.3 (−8.2)	23.0 (−5.0)	31.4 (−0.3)	44.0 (6.7)	55.9 (13.3)	63.2 (17.3)	61.3 (16.3)	48.8 (9.3)	32.4 (0.2)	20.0 (−6.7)	12.0 (−11.1)	9.3 (−12.6)
Record low °F (°C)	−24 (−31)	−24 (−31)	−5 (−21)	17 (−8)	27 (−3)	40 (4)	52 (11)	48 (9)	30 (−1)	14 (−10)	−6 (−21)	−10 (−23)	−24 (−31)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	0.36 (9.1)	0.35 (8.9)	0.54 (14)	0.57 (14)	1.14 (29)	1.28 (33)	1.82 (46)	1.68 (43)	1.55 (39)	1.33 (34)	0.45 (11)	0.56 (14)	11.63 (295)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	2.4 (6.1)	1.1 (2.8)	0.7 (1.8)	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)	1.2 (3.0)	3.8 (9.7)	9.6 (24)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	3.1	2.8	3.2	2.5	3.8	4.6	6.6	7.1	6.3	5.0	2.7	3.6	51.3
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	1.5	0.8	0.4	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.5	1.6	5.2
Average relative humidity (%)	56.8	51.1	39.7	36.5	39.6	43.2	49.1	54.1	57.6	54.0	52.7	54.5	49.1
Average dew point °F (°C)	21.9 (−5.6)	23.9 (−4.5)	25.0 (−3.9)	29.8 (−1.2)	39.0 (3.9)	49.6 (9.8)	56.8 (13.8)	57.7 (14.3)	52.5 (11.4)	40.8 (4.9)	28.6 (−1.9)	21.6 (−5.8)	37.3 (2.9)
Mean monthly sunshine hours	217.1	223.0	280.8	307.6	342.9	344.7	327.9	300.9	262.7	269.6	214.5	210.3	3,302
Percent possible sunshine	68	72	76	79	80	80	75	73	71	77	68	68	74
Source 1: NOAA (relative humidity and dew point 1973–1990, sun 1962–1982)
Source 2: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/us-climate-normals/

People in Roswell

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	2,049	—
1910	6,172	201.2%
1920	7,033	14.0%
1930	11,173	58.9%
1940	13,482	20.7%
1950	25,738	90.9%
1960	39,593	53.8%
1970	33,908	−14.4%
1980	39,676	17.0%
1990	44,654	12.5%
2000	45,293	1.4%
2010	48,366	6.8%
2020	48,422	0.1%
2023 (est.)	47,109	−2.6%
U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census

Population in 2020

**Roswell, New Mexico – Racial and ethnic composition**
(*NH = Non-Hispanic*)
*Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.*
Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	16,996	35.1%
Black or African American (NH)	826	1.7%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	327	0.7%
Asian (NH)	552	1.1%
Pacific Islander (NH)	21	0.0%
Some Other Race (NH)	191	0.4%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	1,028	2.1%
Hispanic or Latino	28,481	58.8%
Total	48,422	100.0%

In 2020, Roswell had 48,422 people. There were 17,929 households. About 26% of residents were under 18 years old. About 15% were 65 or older.

The average household income was $48,298. About 23% of the people lived below the poverty line in 2022.

Education in Roswell

The state-operated New Mexico Military Institute campus in Roswell.

Public Schools

Roswell Independent School District
- Goddard High School
- Roswell High School
Mountain View Middle School
Mesa Middle School
Sierra Middle School
Berrendo Middle School

Private Schools

All Saints Catholic School (pre-K to 8th grade)
Gateway Christian School (pre-K to high school)
Immanuel Lutheran School (Junior Kindergarten to 9th grade)
Saint Andrews Catholic School (K-6)

Colleges and Universities

Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell: This school offers programs for certificates and associate degrees. You can also take bachelor's and master's classes through TV.
New Mexico Military Institute: This school has high school programs and two-year college degrees.

Sports in Roswell

Wool Bowl stadium opened in 1968 and hosts high school games.

The Roswell Invaders are a professional baseball team. They play in the Pecos League. Their lime-green uniforms show off the city's alien connections. They play their home games at Joe Bauman Ballpark.

Roswell has had other baseball teams in the past. These include the Roswell Giants and the Roswell Rockets. In 1954, Joe Bauman hit 72 home runs for the Roswell Rockets. This was a record for minor league baseball. Baseball Hall of Fame player Willie Stargell also played for the Roswell Pirates in 1959.

Transportation in Roswell

Airport

Roswell International Air Center: This airport has flights from American Airlines through American Eagle.

Bus Routes

Pecos Trails Transit provides bus services.

Intercity Services

Greyhound Lines offers bus travel between cities.

Major Highways

U.S. Route 70
U.S. Route 285
U.S. Route 380

Railroads

BNSF Railway provides freight train services.

Local Industry

A Millennium RTS Legend bus manufactured in Roswell.

Roswell is home to Leprino Foods. This is one of the world's largest factories that makes mozzarella cheese. The city also had a factory that made RTS city buses.

Cultural Attractions

International UFO Museum

Roswell's tourism is largely based on aerospace engineering and ufology (the study of UFOs). Many businesses have alien and spacecraft themes. A UFO festival is held every year since 1995.

The Roswell Museum has an exhibit about Robert H. Goddard's rocket workshop. It also has a planetarium and a collection of art. The Roswell Artist-in-Residence program has a museum called the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art. This museum shows art from over 200 artists.