A town of 1,191. Healthier than 74% of U.S. towns.
The 2 things Capitan does most differently from other towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Be the first to start the conversation.
Nothing on the calendar.
Ordered by what stands out in Capitan. Another town gets a different order.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 98% of U.S. communities.
Capitan beats the New Mexico average on 12 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2.
| What stands out | Capitan | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.1% | 20.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.5% | 16.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.9% | 7.4% |
Capitan has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 27 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
The typical Capitan home is worth about $253,000, up 5% in a year, 21% below the New Mexico typical home.
Most working residents leave Capitan for work: only 10% work in town. The top destinations are Ruidoso (26%), Albuquerque (10%) and Ruidoso Downs (5%). Half commute less than 16 miles.
The public schools Capitan’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 60% of New Mexico’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capitan Elementary | PK–5 | 207 | Not graded |
| Capitan Middle | 6–8 | 102 | Not graded |
| Capitan High | 9–12 | 134 | B |
Capitan's reported crime rate is well below New Mexico's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 3 reported in 2024.
0.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Smokey Bear Historical Park | — | 4 |
7 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
Village in New Mexico, United States
Capitan is a village in Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States, located north of the Lincoln National Forest between the Capitan and Sacramento Mountains at an elevation of 6,350 feet (1,950 m). As of the 2020 census, Capitan had a population of 1,391. Capitan was founded in the 1890s and incorporated in 1941.
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