VALENCIA COUNTY
County Offices
444 Luna Avenue
Los Lunas 505-866-2001
www.co.valencia.nm.us
Chamber of Commerce
400 Tijeras Ave
Los Lunas 505-764-3700
https://greaterabq.com
Major Highways
Interstate 25, US Highway 85; Routes 6, 47, 263, 314
Located in Central New Mexico just 20 minutes south of Albuquerque in the Rio Grande Valley, Valencia County is home to welcoming small towns and villages that command mountain views. Anchored by the county seat of Los Lunas, this area has experienced impressive growth in recent decades as Metropolitan Albuquerque continues its suburban sprawl.
The dramatic increase in population in Valencia County is evidenced statistically in the area’s 43.9 percent positive growth between 1990 and 1999. Bernalillo County, home of Albuquerque, reported only an 8.9 percent positive change in population over the same period. The trend away from urban bustle to the relaxed pace of rural and country living within commuting distance of major employment centers continues to impact demographics in the counties that surround Albuquerque.
Valencia County claims a rich history as one of the original seven counties within the New Mexico Territory in 1852, a region that stretched from Texas to California and was subsequently subdivided four times over the passing decades. The county is encompassed within the Rio Abajo, an area of the Middle Rio Grande Valley that stretches from the Espanola Valley in the North to Sabinal in the South. The county borders on Socorro County to the south, Cibola County to the west, Torrance County to the east, and Bernalillo County to the north.
Services
One of the major contributors to residential and business growth in Valencia County is easy access to the outstanding services and amenities in the highly developed city of Albuquerque. State-of-the-art healthcare institutions and facilities are enhanced by advanced research centers and specialized centers of excellence in key areas like cardiac or cancer care to meet every need. Throughout the metropolitan area, skilled professionals who represent every major specialty and most subspecialties carry on private practices or work in concert with their associates in convenient clinics. Medical centers, same-day surgery centers, after-hours emergency facilities, rehabilitation, numerous therapies, long-term care, home health, skilled nursing, and hospice are all included in the comprehensive network of facilities and services that are available close to home. Leading hospitals take a proactive approach to wellness with health screenings, community education, nutrition counseling, birthing and family classes, and workshops to address special health issues.
Students in Valencia County receive a quality education in public schools that offer a high level of personalized attention and well-equipped, modern classrooms. The opportunities for higher education within a reasonable commuting distance are abundant, ranging from vocational and career institutes to private and public colleges and universities. Several of these institutions offer distance-learning programs where students can earn entire degrees online. One of the advantages of living in Valencia County for students of all ages is the presence of a branch campus for the University of New Mexico in the Los Lunas area — more specifically, nestled in the country village setting of Tomé. UNM Valencia serves nearly 10,000 part-time and full-time students by offering a variety of associate degrees, certificates, and credential programs. Most of these academic credits can be transferred to four-year colleges and universities in New Mexico and throughout the nation, including a wide range of general education and pre-professional programs.
Lifestyle
The quality of life that newcomers will discover in Valencia County is characterized by a strong sense of community that is enhanced by the area’s natural beauty and the pleasures of a rural lifestyle. Residents enjoy a sense of tranquility in their environment, the friendliness of their neighbors, the relaxed pace, and premier recreational opportunities. Hiking, biking, camping, water sports, fishing, and winter sports are just a few of the activities and sports that are encouraged by the widely varied terrain and surrounding mountains in Central New Mexico. The majestic Manzano Mountains encourage unlimited hiking adventures, while the Cibola National Forest is ideal for backpacking, camping, exploring, and horseback riding through deep woodlands and dramatic canyons.
Hot air balloons are frequent sites in this area, dotting the blue skies with whimsical splashes of color nearly every weekend of the year. Each March, Los Lunas holds the third largest hot air balloon event in New Mexico. Local celebrations, festivals, fiestas, and seasonal traditions enrich community life in Valencia County, enhanced by the region’s multicultural diversity and rich history. Arts and crafts, good food, games and activities, and church or school events all play a part in bringing friend, family, and neighbors together.
While the world-class cultural attractions in Metropolitan Albuquerque remain close enough for Valencia County residents to make frequent trips to the city for everything from opera to Broadway shows, the county is developing its own artistic community. In fact, New Mexico’s out-of-the-way villages have long been known for their artisans, drawn to the area for its vibrant colors and charming landscapes. Belen is home to an active art league whose members join other talented artists throughout Valencia County in displaying their work at the annual Rio Abajo Gallery and Studio Tour. Historic attractions abound, including Tome Hill with its ancient petroglyphs and upward trails through sacred land featuring vistas of Los Lunas and the Rio Grande River valley. Other popular destinations for students of history are the Valencia County Historical Museum, the P&M Farm Museum, and the Harvey House in Belen.
Opportunity abounds in Valencia County, where new residential development in recent decades has added a wide variety of homes in varying architectural styles, settings, and price ranges. Irrigated rural properties, new subdivisions, horse properties, multi-acre sites, generous lots, or cozy historic homes in the heart of a small village are some of the possibilities for housing. For small-town living in close proximity to cosmopolitan amenities, few locations can rival Valencia County.
Belén
City Hall
505-966-2730
www.belen-nm.gov
Chamber of Commerce
505-864-8091
www.belenchamber.org
As one of the leading communities in Valencia County, the city of Belén has experienced rapid growth and development both residentially and economically. This city is home to major manufacturing operations as well as a host of smaller companies, opening the door to local employment for many of its residents. The Belén area provides recreational facilities for swimming, soccer, volleyball, and tennis. The city’s parks and recreation department also sponsors many leagues and programs and operates a multi-purpose community park that commands exceptional views. Within a short commute are premier recreational areas for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, and winter skiing. Even close to home are the Tinnin Hunt Club and a skeet range. Newcomers to Belén will discover a proud city on the verge of an even brighter future.
Bosque Farms
Village Hall
505-869-2357
www.bosquefarmsnm.gov
Chamber of Commerce
505-864-8091
https://belenchamber.com
The small village of Bosque Farms on the east bank of the Rio Grande River in the Middle Rio Grande Basin lies on relatively flat land between the river and the upper plateau to the east. The Manzano Mountains are only 15 miles away, ensuring first-class recreational opportunities. The Isleta Indian Reservation wraps around the northern portion of Bosque Farms, and the bright lights of Albuquerque are just six miles north for easy access to cosmopolitan amenities.
Incorporated in 1974, the village has grown in recent decades, evolving from an agricultural center into a thriving suburban community. The village has managed to retain its rural character in spite of the commercial expansion that continues to flourish along the Highway 47 corridor. Newcomers will find convenient shopping, entertainment, and recreation within the village but also north and south of the community.
Los Lunas
Village Hall
505-839-3840
https://www.loslunasnm.gov
Chamber of Commerce
505-764-3700
https://greaterabq.com
The seat of government for Valencia County is situated along the west bank of the Rio Grande River just 30 minutes south of downtown Albuquerque. From its historic agricultural roots, Los Lunas has transformed since the latter decades of the 20th century into a growing business center. Most of this growth has been in a westerly direction, although the village has also annexed additional land on the east side of the Rio Grande. Los Lunas is bounded on the north by the Isleta Indian Reservation, and Interstate 25 traverses the west side of the village to ensure a quick trip into Albuquerque. Many of the village residents are commuters into Albuquerque, although local employment opportunities are expanding. The Los Lunas area is home to one of Valencia County’s points of pride, an extension campus for the University of New Mexico.
