Farmington is a city in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. According to the 2020 census, the city had a population of 46,624 people. Farmington and San Juan County together form one of the four major city areas in New Mexico.

Farmington is located where the San Juan River, the Animas River, and the La Plata River meet. It is on the Colorado Plateau. Farmington is the largest city in San Juan County, which is one of the largest counties in the United States, covering 5,538 square miles (14,340 square kilometers). Farmington acts as a central place for business in much of northwestern New Mexico and the Four Corners region, which includes parts of four states. Farmington is near several highways: U.S. Highway 64, New Mexico Highway 170, New Mexico Highway 371, and New Mexico Highway 516.

The city is also on the Trails of the Ancients Byway, a scenic route in New Mexico.

The main industries in Farmington, aside from government jobs, include producing petroleum, natural gas, and coal. It is also a major place for shopping and retail. Outside Farmington, the Navajo Mine, which is operated by the Navajo Transitional Energy Company, produces coal that is used entirely to generate electricity at the nearby Four Corners Generating Station.

History

The area now known as Farmington was first lived in by the Ancestral Pueblo people around the 7th century. Visitors can see their ruins at nearby Salmon Ruins and Aztec Ruins. When the Ancestral Puebloans left, the Navajo, Jicarilla Apache, and Ute people moved into the region. A key part of the area was called Tóta' by the Navajo, meaning "where three rivers meet."

Even though Spanish and American people looked for minerals in the area, there were not many permanent homes. In 1868, the Navajo Nation was formed, covering the western part of San Juan County. Six years later, the U.S. government offered the rest of San Juan County to the Jicarilla Apache, but they declined. This allowed settlers from Southern Colorado to move into the area. The region was first called "Junction City" because of the three rivers nearby.

In 1901, the town was officially formed and named Farmington, with a population of 548 people. By September 19, 1905, a railroad was completed, connecting Farmington to Durango, Colorado. This improved economic and settlement opportunities. The railroad was unusual because it was a standard-gauge track that connected to the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad’s narrow-gauge lines in southwestern Colorado. In 1923, the line was changed to narrow gauge. The railroad was no longer used after 1968 and was dismantled in 1969. In the 1920s, there was investment in natural gas and oil, but production remained low until the 1950s.

On March 18, 1950, many people in Farmington saw large, fast-moving objects in the sky, described as "saucers." After the 1940s, a road connected Farmington to U.S. Route 66 and Albuquerque, and the San Juan Basin Natural Gas Pipeline was built in 1953, led by Tom Bolack. However, the town’s strong ties to the energy industry made its economy sensitive to changes in international markets during the 1970s energy crisis, leading to efforts to diversify the local economy.

In 1967, as part of a joint U.S. Government-El Paso Electric project, an underground nuclear explosion happened 50 miles east of Farmington and 25 miles south of Dulce, New Mexico, in what is now Carson National Forest. This test, called Project Gasbuggy, was part of Operation Plowshare and aimed to break underground rock to help extract more natural gas.

The people of Farmington have been studied in several civil rights reports, including the 2005 report titled The Farmington Report: Civil Rights for Native Americans 30 Years Later.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Farmington has a total area of 32.0 square miles (83 km²), of which 31.5 square miles (82 km²) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) is water.

Farmington has a semi-arid climate. Even though the city is located at an altitude of 5,473 feet (1,668 m), it experiences hot summers and cold winters. The area receives low precipitation throughout the year. The average annual snowfall is 12.3 inches (31 cm).

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, Farmington had a population of 46,624 people. The median age was 35.0 years. Twenty-seven point one percent of residents were younger than 18 years old, and 14.7% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females who were 18 years of age or older, there were 92.1 males who were 18 years of age or older.

Ninety-six point eight percent of residents lived in urban areas, while 3.2% lived in rural areas.

There were 16,703 households in Farmington. Thirty-six point nine percent of these households had children under the age of 18 living in them. Forty-four point seven percent of all households were married-couple households. Seventeen point four percent had a male householder with no spouse or partner present, and 28.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 24.9% of all households included only one person, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 18,335 housing units in Farmington. Eight point nine percent of these units were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2%, and the rental vacancy rate was 10.4%.

As of the 2010 census, there were 45,895 people and 17,548 housing units in Farmington. The racial makeup of the city was 62.8% White (including 52.4% White non-Hispanic), 1.0% African American, 22.2% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals of any race made up 22.4% of the population.

There were 16,466 households in 2010. Thirty-three point four percent of these households had children under the age of 18 living with them. Forty-nine percent were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. Twenty-one point seven percent of all households included only one person, and 8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.7 people, and the average family size was 3.19 people.

Arts and culture

Farmington has hosted the Connie Mack World Series baseball tournament since 1965, except in 2020 when it was not held because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament takes place in August at Ricketts Park, which can hold 5,072 people. The Connie Mack league includes players who are 16 to 18 years old. The Connie Mack World Series features 10 or more teams from different areas in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Farmington holds a river festival once a year. The event celebrates the area's rivers with music, art, food, entertainment, a 10K and 5K run/walk, riverside trail walks, and river raft rides.

Piñon Hills Golf Course, designed by Ken Dye, is one of the top municipal golf courses in the United States. The course is owned and operated by the City of Farmington and has been ranked among the top municipal golf courses by Golfweek Magazine for many years.

Fishing, including fly fishing and reel fishing, is a popular activity in Farmington. It is allowed on the San Juan River, Navajo Lake, Lake Farmington, Morgan Lake, the Animas River, Jackson Lake, and Cutter Dam.

Education

The Farmington Municipal School District provides education to more than 10,000 students in grades K-12 across 20 schools. The high schools include Farmington High School, Piedra Vista High School, Rocinante High School, and San Juan College High School. There are four middle schools: Heights, Hermosa, Mesa View, and Tibbetts. The New Mexico School for the Deaf operates a preschool in Farmington. Navajo Preparatory School is a tribal school connected to the Bureau of Indian Education.

There are six private schools in Farmington if Navajo Preparatory is included as one. However, the National Center for Education Statistics classifies Navajo Preparatory as a public school. Sacred Heart School, Farmington (K-8), is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gallup and was founded in 1910.

San Juan College is a public two-year college. As of Fall 2021, the college had nearly 6,000 students enrolled each semester and more than 3,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) students.

The Farmington Public Library moved to a new building in 2003 and has about 200,000 items in its collection. A branch library in Shiprock is currently closed.

Politics

As of August 2022, Farmington had about 28,548 people who were officially registered to vote. Of these voters, 24.4% were not part of a political party, 51.0% were Republican, 22.2% were Democratic, 1.2% were Libertarian, and 1.2% belonged to other parties. Farmington, like the rest of San Juan County, is a politically conservative community. It is surrounded by counties that are usually more liberal and is located in a state that overall leans more liberal. Historically, voting in Farmington has strongly supported conservative ideas and candidates. However, voters in the area usually approve state and local government bonds and other tax-related initiatives.