Sandoval County was a thriving area centuries before Don Francisco de Coronado explored the area and camped near present-day Bernalillo in 1540. Prehistoric artifacts in many areas of the County date back thousands of years, with archaeological finds suggesting that Sandia Man lived and hunted in the area thousands of years ago.

The area consisting of modern-day Sandoval County was included in one of two partidos, or districts, created in the New Mexico territory. It became part of Santa Ana County, one of seven political subdivisions created in 1852. Sandoval County was first established as a separate entity on March 10, 1903, nine years before New Mexico’s statehood. The area that forms Los Alamos County was separated from Sandoval County in 1949.

Size: Sandoval County encompasses 3,714 square miles of diverse geography and people. It includes the incorporated municipalities of Bernalillo, Cuba, Corrales, Jemez Springs, Rio Rancho and San Ysidro, numerous unincorporated communities, all or portions of seven Indian pueblos and all or portions of six Tribal entities/lands.

Population: The County has evolved from a primarily rural and sparsely populated area just a decade ago to the home of more than 139,000 people.