Greetings from the Rio Abajo and welcome to Valencia County, one of 33 counties in the state of New Mexico. Valencia County is one of the original seven counties that comprised the New Mexico Territory in 1852. The county stretched from Texas to California and was subsequently subdivided four times in the last 144 years.

The County comprises 1,458 square miles in central New Mexico, bordering on Socorro County directly to the south, as well as Cibola County to the west, Bernalillo County to the north and Torrance County to the east. The county seat is located in the Village of Los Lunas, 20 miles south of the state's largest city, Albuquerque.

The quality of life in the county can be characterized by a strong sense of community that is enhanced by a rural lifestyle. Residents of the area have identified peace and quiet, friendliness of the people, and terrific weather as benefits that has made this rural setting a wonderful place to visit and live.

The population has risen dramatically in the county over the last ten years. Preliminary census figures show Valencia County with a 43.9% change in population between 1990 and 1999. Meanwhile the states largest county, Bernalillo, shows an 8.9% change in population over the same period of time. The county's close proximity to Albuquerque is attributed for the large change in population as newcomers to the area find living in Valencia County a pleasant experience. All the communities that dot the landscape along the "Rio Abajo" will experience some kind of growth in the new century. To learn more about the economic details of Valencia County, go to the "Rio Abajo Stats" page.

Modern Valencia County is an area with opportunities. An area perfectly suited for any home or business. An area where the pace is a little slower. Crime is low. Neighbors know neighbors. And opportunities abound.