Socorro County | |
|---|---|
 Socorro County Courthouse in Socorro | |
 Location within the U.S. state of New Mexico | |
 New Mexico's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 34°01′N 106°56′W / 34.02°N 106.93°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Mexico |
| Founded | January 9, 1852 |
| Seat | Socorro |
| Largest city | Socorro |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6,649 sq mi (17,220 km2) |
| • Land | 6,647 sq mi (17,220 km2) |
| • Water | 2.1 sq mi (5 km2) 0.03% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 16,595 |
| • Density | 2.5/sq mi (0.96/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | www |
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Socorro County (Spanish: Condado de Socorro) is a county in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,595.[1] The county seat is Socorro.[2] The county was formed in 1852 as one of the original nine counties of New Mexico Territory.[3][4] Socorro was originally the name given to a Native American village (see: Puebloan peoples) by Don Juan de Oñate in 1598. Having received vitally needed food and assistance from the native population, Oñate named the pueblo Socorro ("succor" in English).
Socorro County is home to multiple scientific research institutions including New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory and its associated Very Large Array, the Magdalena Ridge Observatory, and the Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research. Federal public lands in Socorro County include parts of the Cibola National Forest, the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Socorro Field Office, parts of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, and parts of the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail.
- ^ "Socorro County, New Mexico". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "New Mexico: Consolidated Chronology of State and County Boundaries". New Mexico Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2007. Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
- ^ "History of Socorro County". Socorro County InfoNet. Archived from the original on January 3, 2015. Retrieved January 2, 2015.