Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces is a city of 114,197 people in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, founded in 1849.
Why visit Las Cruces
Townapedia lists 33 museums and landmarks, 59 parks and trails, 212 places to eat, 45 places to stay and 6 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Telshor 12, Doña Ana Community College, Mesilla Plaza and Rio Grande Theatre.
Weather in Las Cruces
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Las Cruces
Las Cruces (; Spanish: [las 'kruses]; lit. 'the crosses') is a city in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States, and its county seat. The population was 111,385 at the 2020 census, making it the second-most populous city in New Mexico, and the largest in both Doña Ana County and southern New Mexico. It is the principal city of the Las Cruces metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Doña Ana County and had an estimated 230,000 residents in 2024. The city is also part of the larger El Paso–Las Cruces combined statistical area.
From the Wikipedia article Las Cruces, New Mexico (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do6
Doña Ana Community College
School · 4.0 mi
Community college in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, U.S.
New Mexico State University
School · 3.9 mi
University in the United States
Museums and landmarks33
Mesilla Plaza
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Plaza in Mesilla
Rio Grande Theatre
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Movie theater in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States
211 North Main Street, Las Cruces
Alameda-Depot Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic district in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States
Dona Ana Village Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.5 mi
Historic district in New Mexico, United States
Fort Fillmore
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.5 mi
Fort in New Mexico
Foster Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Historic building on the campus of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico
Green Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 4.5 mi
Road bridge in New Mexico, United States
Hadley-Ludwick House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Historic house in Las Cruces, New Mexico
Mesilla Park Elementary School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
School building in Las Cruces, New Mexico
Mesilla Park Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Historic district in Las Cruces, New Mexico
Nason House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Formerly the University President's House at New Mexico State University
Nestor Armijo House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Historic house in Las Cruces, New Mexico
21 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds59
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47 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes212
Andele Restaurante
Restaurant · Mexican · 3.4 mi
1950 Calle del Norte
Mo 08:00-14:30; Tu-Su 08:00-21:00
Dion's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 2.1 mi
1060 El Paseo Road, Las Cruces
Su-Th 10:30-21:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-22:00
International Delights
Cafe · Mediterranean · 2.2 mi
1245 El Paseo Road
Mo-Th 07:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 07:00-23:00; Su 08:00-22:00
Jake's Cafe
Restaurant · Burger, Mexican, Regional, American · 1.9 mi
1340 East Lohman Avenue
Mo-Th 07:00-20:00; Fr, Sa 07:00-21:00; Su 09:00-16:00
La Nueva Casita Cafe
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.4 mi
195 North Mesquite Street, Las Cruces
We-Mo 09:00-15:00
200 more on the map.
History
During the Mexican–American War, the Battle of El Bracito was fought nearby on Christmas Day, 1846. The settlement of Las Cruces was founded in 1849, when the US Army first surveyed the town, thus opening up the area for American settlement. The town was first surveyed as the result of the American acquisition of the land surrounding Las Cruces, which later became the New Mexico Territory. This land had been ceded to the United States as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848, which ended the Mexican-American War. The town was named Las Cruces (Spanish: "the crosses") after three crosses that its earliest settlers had reported seeing just north of the town. The crosses were thought to be "either marked graves or were similar to roadside memorials called descansos".
From the History section of Las Cruces, New Mexico on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay45
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Las Cruces North
Motel and hotel · 2.0 mi
2142 Telshor Court, Las Cruces
La Quinta Inn & Suites Las Cruces Organ Mountain
Motel and hotel · 2.5 mi
1500 Hickory Drive, Las Cruces
Churches and places of worship102
Basilica de San Albino Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 3.6 mi
2370 Calle de Santiago, Mesilla
Immaculate Heart of Mary Cathedral
Church · Roman Catholic · 2.3 mi
1240 South Espina Street, Las Cruces
Phillips Chapel CME Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Christian Challenge - NMSU
Church · Southern Baptist · 3.6 mi
1313 East University Avenue, Las Cruces
Shopping54
Gas and EV charging35
Schools, colleges and libraries74
Mission Lutheran Church School
School · Lutheran · 2.4 mi
2752 Roadrunner Parkway
Arrowhead Park Early College High School
School · 4.7 mi
3400 South Espina St, Las Cruces
Healthcare21
Nights Evening Weekends (NEW) Urgent Care Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.3 mi
540 Walton Boulevard
Campo Behavioral Health
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.1 mi
425 North Mesilla Street, Las Cruces
Map of Las Cruces
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Doña Ana County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2025-07-22: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides (Flood)
- 2020-04-05: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-10-29: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2006-08-30: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Las Cruces International Airport (LRU) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- San Ysidro 2 mi northwest, about 4 min by car
- Fairacres 3 mi southwest, about 5 min by car
- Mesilla 4 mi south, about 7 min by car
- University Park 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Tortugas 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Picacho Hills 5 mi west, about 8 min by car
- Doña Ana 5 mi north, about 8 min by car
- San Pablo 5 mi south, about 9 min by car
- Butterfield Park 10 mi northeast, about 16 min by car
- El Paso 39 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- City of Las Cruces, Jpawela, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Race and ethnicity 2020 Las Cruces, NM, CensusDots, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Las Cruces - Our Lady of Health church - 6, This illustration was made by Peter Potrowl . Please credit this with : © Peter Potrowl in the immediate vicinity of the image. A link to my website sitemai.eu would be much appreciated but isn't..., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Las Cruces - Our Lady of Health church - 5, This illustration was made by Peter Potrowl . Please credit this with : © Peter Potrowl in the immediate vicinity of the image. A link to my website sitemai.eu would be much appreciated but isn't..., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Las Cruces - Our Lady of Health church - 4, This illustration was made by Peter Potrowl . Please credit this with : © Peter Potrowl in the immediate vicinity of the image. A link to my website sitemai.eu would be much appreciated but isn't..., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Las Cruces - Our Lady of Health church - 2 (cropped), This illustration was made by Peter Potrowl . Please credit this with : © Peter Potrowl in the immediate vicinity of the image. A link to my website sitemai.eu would be much appreciated but isn't..., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Las Cruces - Our Lady of Health church - 3, This illustration was made by Peter Potrowl . Please credit this with : © Peter Potrowl in the immediate vicinity of the image. A link to my website sitemai.eu would be much appreciated but isn't..., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Las Cruces - Our Lady of Health church - 2, This illustration was made by Peter Potrowl . Please credit this with : © Peter Potrowl in the immediate vicinity of the image. A link to my website sitemai.eu would be much appreciated but isn't..., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Las Cruces - Our Lady of Health church - 1, This illustration was made by Peter Potrowl . Please credit this with : © Peter Potrowl in the immediate vicinity of the image. A link to my website sitemai.eu would be much appreciated but isn't..., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Las Cruces New Mexico City Hall 2010, AllenS, Public domain
- 137 East Las Cruces Ave - panoramio (3), yourlascruces, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 137 East Las Cruces Ave - panoramio (1), yourlascruces, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dr. R. L. San Martin, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces shows an experimental solar panel being tested..., 04-1974 (6919903158), The U.S. National Archives, No restrictions
- Experimental solar heating panel of the "Thomason" type at New Mexico State University, Las Cruces..., 04-1974 (6919877362), The U.S. National Archives, No restrictions
- Dr. R.L. San Martin, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces shows a closed coil type solar heating panel whose blackened tubes..., 04-1974 (7065958505), The U.S. National Archives, No restrictions
- Greetings from Las Cruces, New Mexico - Large Letter Postcard (5290362278), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Rio Grande Theatre Las Cruces New Mexico, AllenS, Public domain
- MesillaPlaza, James W. Rosenthal, Public domain
- Frank O'Brien Papen Community Center NE side center 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Historic Green Bridge Las Cruces New Mexico, AllenS, Public domain
- Hadley-Ludwick House Las Cruces New Mexico, AllenS, Public domain
- Yellow flowers 2014 1, Megalibrarygirl, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Phillips Chapel CME Church-9016-Edit, Joseph C. Yaroch, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Phillips Chapel CME Church-9015, Joseph C. Yaroch, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Phillips Chapel CME Church-9013, Joseph C. Yaroch, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rail runner nmrx-104, Jyaroch, Public domain
- Brick-oven Mediterranean pizza (4081534849), uıɐɾ ʞ ʇɐɯɐs, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Brick-oven Margarita pizza (4082293384), uıɐɾ ʞ ʇɐɯɐs, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Zeffiro brick-oven margarita pizza (4082290912), uıɐɾ ʞ ʇɐɯɐs, CC BY-SA 2.0
- RoadRUNNER Transit bus, Znns, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tribulus terrestris 10399753, Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0
- Doña Ana County, New Mexico, Government Center 2014, SteveStrummer, CC0
- Echinocactus horizonthalonius horizonthalonius 11029653, Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0
- Scaphiopus couchii eye 47209439, Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0
- Scaphiopus couchii 47209378, Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0
- Salvia hispanica 27990294, Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0
- Salvia hispanica 27990322, Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0
- Salvia hispanica 27990287, Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0
- Salvia hispanica 27990281, Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0
- Cryptantha crassisepala 14135262, Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0
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