When was Chaves County founded?

Chaves County was founded in 1891, formed from Lincoln County and Eddy County, and named after José Francisco Chaves.

What is the county seat of Chaves County?

The county seat of Chaves County is Roswell.

Is there an online parcel map for Chaves County?

Yes. Chaves County publishes a parcel map of 35,866 parcels, rated fallback here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Chaves County's boundary or name changed?

Chaves County was created in 1891 from Lincoln County and Eddy County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 4 later changes, chiefly involving Roosevelt County, De Baca County and Eddy County.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for Chaves County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

County · code 35005

Chaves CountyNew Mexico

Chaves County, New Mexico is a 6,067-square-mile county with its county seat in Roswell. The county was formed on January 1, 1891, and named after José Francisco Chaves.

Founded1891
County seatRoswell
Named forJosé Francisco Chaves
Land area6,067 sq mi + 7.9 sq mi water
Population65,157 2020 Census
Parcels mapped35,866 checked 15 October 2026

Open the free map Click any parcel in Chaves County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated 19 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Formed in 1891 from Lincoln County and Eddy County

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

Chaves County was created by New Mexico Territory from Lincoln County on January 1, 1891, with Eddy County temporarily attached for judicial purposes. Eddy County was fully organized and detached from Chaves in May 1891, and Chaves gained territory from Lincoln County in 1899. In 1903 and 1917, Chaves County lost land to the creation of Roosevelt County and to the creation of De Baca and Lea counties.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

1891
Chaves County created Chaves created by New Mexico Territory from Lincoln. Eddy attached to Chaves "for judicial purposes." Act passed 25 February 1889; took effect 1 January 1891.
from Lincoln from Eddy
1 January 1891 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1888, 28th assy., ch. 87/pp. 202-207
1891
Changed Eddy fully organized; detached from Chaves.
Eddy
16 May 1891 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1891, 29th assy., ch. 19/p. 38
1899
Gained territory Chaves gained from Lincoln.
from Lincoln
30 January 1899 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1899, 33d assy., ch. 3/pp. 21-30
1903
Lost territory Chaves lost to creation of Roosevelt.
to Roosevelt
28 February 1903 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1903, 35th assy., ch. 7/pp. 12-16
1917
Lost territory Chaves lost to creation of De Baca and Lea, and lost to Roosevelt.
to De Baca to Lea to Roosevelt
8 June 1917 · N.M. Laws 1917, 3rd reg. sess., chs. 11, 23/pp. 41-48, 108-110

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Chaves

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Parcels Fallback

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 35,866 parcels from Chaves County. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey. This copy is a fallback, not the county's own: use it as a guide and check the official record.
edited 14 September 2023 · checked 15 October 2026
Address points Missing

No public address points layer found for Chaves County yet.
Buildings Reference

Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026

Official: from the office that keeps the record
Good enough: a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback: a guide only; check the official record
Missing: nothing public found yet

People and land

Chaves by the Census

Population

65,157 2020 Census count

Housing units

26,658 2020 Census count

Land area

6,067 square miles

Water area

7.9 square miles

People per sq mi

11 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

Chaves County's official site

We have found the county's site but not its offices yet; start there.

County government

County government
The official website of Chaves County.
co.chaves.nm.us

See your own lot on these maps

Open Chaves County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about Chaves County

When was Chaves County founded?: Chaves County was founded in 1891, formed from Lincoln County and Eddy County, and named after José Francisco Chaves.
What is the county seat of Chaves County?: The county seat of Chaves County is Roswell.
Is there an online parcel map for Chaves County?: Yes. Chaves County publishes a parcel map of 35,866 parcels, rated fallback here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Chaves County's boundary or name changed?: Chaves County was created in 1891 from Lincoln County and Eddy County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 4 later changes, chiefly involving Roosevelt County, De Baca County and Eddy County.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Chaves County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby