When was Santa Fe County founded?

Santa Fe County was founded in 1852, and named after Santa Fe.

What is the county seat of Santa Fe County?

The county seat of Santa Fe County is Santa Fe.

Is there an online parcel map for Santa Fe County?

Yes. Santa Fe County publishes a parcel map of 81,989 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Santa Fe County's boundary or name changed?

Santa Fe County was created in 1846. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 12 later changes, chiefly involving Rio Arriba County, Bernalillo County and San Miguel County.

Who issues building permits in Santa Fe County?

The county's page on building permits: Permit Packets. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

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

County · code 35049

Santa Fe CountyNew Mexico

Santa Fe County is in New Mexico with its county seat in Santa Fe. It was established as one of seven original New Mexico counties in 1846 under military rule, and its name comes from the city of Santa Fe.

Founded1852
County seatSanta Fe
Named forSanta Fe
Land area1,910 sq mi + 1 sq mi water
Population154,823 2020 Census
Parcels mapped81,989 checked 15 October 2026

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

Updated 19 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Founded in 1852

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

Santa Fe County was created in 1846 as one of the first counties established in the territory of New Mexico under Kearny's Code of Laws for occupied Mexican lands. Over the following decades, the county's boundaries changed multiple times through gains and losses of territory to neighboring counties including Rio Arriba, Bernalillo, San Miguel, and Mora. In 1905, Santa Fe lost land to the creation of Torrance County and briefly exchanged territory with Sandoval County.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; the 5 that matter most are shown first.

1846
Santa Fe County created Santa Fe established as one of seven original New Mexico counties under Kearny's Code of Laws for the occupied Mexican territory. No written definitions given for the counties, boundaries were shown on the "Map of New Mexico Territory made by order of Brig. Gen. S. W. Kearny under instructions from Lieut. W. H. Emory, U.S.T.E. by Lieut's S.W. Abert and W.G. Peck, U.S.T.E. 1846-7." Competing claims to the eastern half of New Mexico resulted in an overlap between Santa Fe and Bexar (Texas).
from S. W.from W. H.from U.s.t.efrom S.w.from W.g.from Bexar (Tex.)
22 September 1846 · Kearny's Code 1846, "Courts and Judicial Powers," secs. 5-7/p. 49; Abel, Map #2; Coan, 252; Williams, 108-109
1852
Gained territory Santa Fe gained from Bernalillo, exchanged with Santa Ana, and lost to Rio Arriba and San Miguel when all counties redefined.
from Bernalillo from Santa Ana from Rio Arribafrom San Miguel
9 January 1852 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1851, 1st assy., 2d sess. /p. 291
1864
Gained territory Santa Fe gained from San Miguel.
from San Miguel
3 February 1864 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1863-1864, 13th assy. /p. 88
1871
Lost territory Santa Fe lost to Rio Arriba when the law of 18 January 1869 was repealed.
to Rio Arriba
1 January 1871 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1869-1870, 19th assy., ch. 13/p.40
1882
Gained territory Santa Fe gained from Mora, exchanged with Bernalillo and San Miguel.
from Mora from Bernalillo from San Miguel
4 March 1882 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1882, 25th assy., ch. 83/p. 174

Show all 13 changes (8 more)

1846
Santa Fe County created Santa Fe established as one of seven original New Mexico counties under Kearny's Code of Laws for the occupied Mexican territory. No written definitions given for the counties, boundaries were shown on the "Map of New Mexico Territory made by order of Brig. Gen. S. W. Kearny under instructions from Lieut. W. H. Emory, U.S.T.E. by Lieut's S.W. Abert and W.G. Peck, U.S.T.E. 1846-7." Competing claims to the eastern half of New Mexico resulted in an overlap between Santa Fe and Bexar (Texas).
from S. W.from W. H.from U.s.t.efrom S.w.from W.g.from Bexar (Tex.)
22 September 1846 · Kearny's Code 1846, "Courts and Judicial Powers," secs. 5-7/p. 49; Abel, Map #2; Coan, 252; Williams, 108-109
1848
Changed Santa Fe recognized by the General Assembly of the Territory of New Mexico which convened December 1847 prior to formal designation of New Mexico Territory by the United States Congress. 31 December 1848 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1847, pp. 37-39
1852
Gained territory Santa Fe gained from Bernalillo, exchanged with Santa Ana, and lost to Rio Arriba and San Miguel when all counties redefined.
from Bernalillo from Santa Ana from Rio Arribafrom San Miguel
9 January 1852 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1851, 1st assy., 2d sess. /p. 291
1864
Gained territory Santa Fe gained from San Miguel.
from San Miguel
3 February 1864 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1863-1864, 13th assy. /p. 88
1869
Gained territory Santa Fe gained from Rio Arriba (later repealed).
from Rio Arriba
18 January 1869 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1868-1869, 18th assy., ch. 11/pp. 36-38
1871
Lost territory Santa Fe lost to Rio Arriba when the law of 18 January 1869 was repealed.
to Rio Arriba
1 January 1871 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1869-1870, 19th assy., ch. 13/p.40
1882
Gained territory Santa Fe gained from Mora, exchanged with Bernalillo and San Miguel.
from Mora from Bernalillo from San Miguel
4 March 1882 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1882, 25th assy., ch. 83/p. 174
1889
Gained territory Santa Fe gained from Rio Arriba, exchanged with Bernalillo, lost to Mora and San Miguel.
from Rio Arriba from Bernalillo from Mora from San Miguel
28 February 1889 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1888, 28th assy., ch. 127/pp. 301-302
1891
Lost territory Santa Fe lost to Bernalillo.
to Bernalillo
25 February 1891 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1891, 29th assy., ch. 55/pp. 106-107
1903
Lost territory Santa Fe lost to Rio Arriba.
to Rio Arriba
10 March 1903 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1903, 35th assy., ch. 24/p. 35
1905
Lost territory Santa Fe lost to creation of Torrance. Act passed 16 March 1903; took effect 1 January 1905.
to Torrance
1 January 1905 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1903, 35th assy., ch. 70/pp. 132-134
1905
Gained territory Santa Fe gained from Sandoval when Sandoval was abolished, then immediately re-created on the same day with slightly different boundaries. Act passed 20 February 1905; took effect 8 May 1905.
from Sandoval
8 May 1905 · N.M. Terr. Laws 1905, 36th assy., ch. 10/pp. 34-39
1949
Lost territory Santa Fe lost to creation of Los Alamos.
to Los Alamos
16 March 1949 · N.M. Laws 1949, 19th reg. sess., ch. 134/pp. 319-321

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Santa Fe

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

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 81,989 parcels from Santa Fe County. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 15 October 2026
Address points Missing

No public address points layer found for Santa Fe 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

Santa Fe by the Census

Population

154,823 2020 Census count

Housing units

76,877 2020 Census count

Land area

1,910 square miles

Water area

1 square miles

People per sq mi

81 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

Who to ask before you build, dig or sell

Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.

Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.

Records

Assessor and property records 505-986-6300from santafecountynm.gov · checked 13 October 2026

Permits

Permit Packetsfrom santafecountynm.gov
Solid Waste Permit Informationfrom santafecountynm.gov

Zoning and code

Planning and zoning
Staff Directory
from santafecountynm.gov · checked 13 October 2026
Ordinances and Resolutionsfrom santafecountynm.gov
Living Wage Ordinancefrom santafecountynm.gov
County Zoningfrom santafecountynm.gov

GIS and maps

County GIS and maps 505-490-2264from santafecountynm.gov · checked 13 October 2026

County government

County government
The official website of Santa Fe County.
santafecountynm.gov

See your own lot on these maps

Open Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe County

When was Santa Fe County founded?: Santa Fe County was founded in 1852, and named after Santa Fe.
What is the county seat of Santa Fe County?: The county seat of Santa Fe County is Santa Fe.
Is there an online parcel map for Santa Fe County?: Yes. Santa Fe County publishes a parcel map of 81,989 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Santa Fe County's boundary or name changed?: Santa Fe County was created in 1846. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 12 later changes, chiefly involving Rio Arriba County, Bernalillo County and San Miguel County.
Who issues building permits in Santa Fe County?: The county's page on building permits: Permit Packets. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Santa Fe County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

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