Belen, New Mexico

Belén, New Mexico
Official seal of Belén, New Mexico
Nicknames: 
The Hub City, B-Town
Location of Belen, New Mexico
Location of Belen, New Mexico
Belén, New Mexico is located in the United States
Belén, New Mexico
Belén, New Mexico
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 34°39′46″N 106°46′35″W / 34.66278°N 106.77639°W / 34.66278; -106.77639
CountryUnited States
StateNew Mexico
CountyValencia
Settled1740
Incorporated1918
Government
 • TypeMayor-Council
 • MayorRobert Noblin"Belen City Page".
Area
 • Total19.08 sq mi (49.41 km2)
 • Land19.05 sq mi (49.35 km2)
 • Water0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation4,810 ft (1,470 m)
Population
 • Total7,360
 • Density386.27/sq mi (149.14/km2)
DemonymBelenite
Time zoneUTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code
87002
Area code505
FIPS code35-06480
GNIS ID2409814[2]
Websitebelen-nm.gov

Belén (/bəˈlɪn/; Spanish: Belén) is the second most populated city in Valencia County, New Mexico, the United States, after its county seat, Los Lunas. The population was 7,360 as of the 2020 Census.

Belén is Spanish for Bethlehem. It gained the nickname "Hub City" after the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway completed a line through it in 1907.[4] The city is geographically near the center of New Mexico, and is a significant transportation hub that includes access to rails, Interstate Highway 25, and air at Valencia County's only public airport.

Belén is at the southern end of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is located 35 miles south of Albuquerque.

  1. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Belen, New Mexico
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Belen | Railroad Town, Rio Grande Valley | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-11-22.