The map above shows Colorado and New Mexico side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Colorado vs New Mexico Geography
Land area: Colorado has a land area of 103,637 square miles (268,419 km²), while New Mexico has 121,313 square miles (314,198 km²). New Mexico's land area is 1.2 times (17%) larger than Colorado's.
Total area: Colorado: 104,095 square miles (269,605 km²) vs New Mexico: 121,593 square miles (314,925 km²), including inland and coastal water. New Mexico's total area is 1.2 times (17%) larger than Colorado's.
Length: Colorado is 467 miles (751 km) long from north to south; New Mexico is 395 miles (635 km). Colorado's north-south length is 1.2 times (18%) longer than New Mexico's.
Width: Colorado spans 387 miles (622 km) east to west; New Mexico spans 498 miles (801 km). New Mexico's east-west width is 1.3 times (29%) wider than Colorado's.
Highest point: Colorado's highest point is Mount Elbert at 14,422 feet (4,396 m); New Mexico's is Wheeler Peak at 13,150 feet (4,008 m). Mount Elbert is 1,272 feet higher than Wheeler Peak.
Lowest point: Colorado's lowest point is Arikaree River at 3,326 feet; New Mexico's is Red Bluff Reservoir at 2,842 feet. New Mexico's lowest point is 484 feet lower.
Colorado vs New Mexico Population and History
Population: Colorado has a population of 5,957,493 (2024), while New Mexico has 2,130,256 (2024). Colorado's population is 2.8 times (180%) larger than New Mexico's.
Population density: Colorado: 57.5 people per square mile vs New Mexico: 17.6. Colorado's population density is 3.3 times (227%) higher than New Mexico's.
Biggest city: Colorado's biggest city is Denver with 729,019 people; New Mexico's is Albuquerque with 560,326. Denver's population is 1.3 times (30%) larger than Albuquerque's.
Largest metro area: Colorado's largest metropolitan area is Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area (3,052,498 people) vs New Mexico's Albuquerque, NM metro area (926,303). Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area's population is 3.3 times (230%) larger than Albuquerque, NM metro area's.
History: Colorado: Admitted to the Union on August 1, 1876, as the 38th state. New Mexico: Admitted to the Union on January 6, 1912, as the 47th state. In its current form, Colorado is the older of the two by 36 years.
Colorado vs New Mexico Economy
GDP: Colorado's GDP is $557.6 billion (2024) vs New Mexico's $147.1 billion. Colorado's economic output is 3.8 times (279%) larger than New Mexico's.
GDP per capita: Colorado: $93,602 per person vs New Mexico: $69,046. Colorado's GDP per capita is 1.4 times (36%) higher than New Mexico's.
Average income: Colorado: $83,055 vs New Mexico: $58,249 average income per person (per capita personal income). Colorado's average income is 1.4 times (43%) higher than New Mexico's.
Colorado vs New Mexico Counties
Number of counties: Colorado has 64 counties, while New Mexico has 33. Colorado's county count is 1.9 times (94%) higher than New Mexico's.
Biggest county by area: Colorado's largest county is Las Animas County at 4,773 square miles; New Mexico's is Catron County at 6,924 square miles. Catron County's land area is 1.5 times (45%) larger than Las Animas County's.
Smallest county by area: Colorado: Broomfield County (33 sq mi) vs New Mexico: Los Alamos County (109 sq mi). Los Alamos County's land area is 3.3 times (231%) larger than Broomfield County's.
Most populous county: Colorado: El Paso County (752,772 people) vs New Mexico: Bernalillo County (671,747 people). El Paso County's population is 1.1 times (12%) larger than Bernalillo County's.
Least populous county: Colorado: Hinsdale County (747 people) vs New Mexico: Harding County (635 people). Hinsdale County's population is 1.2 times (18%) larger than Harding County's.
Richest county: Colorado: Pitkin County ($275,044 per capita income) vs New Mexico: Los Alamos County ($98,378). Pitkin County's income is 2.8 times (180%) richer than Los Alamos County's.
Poorest county: Colorado: Crowley County ($27,232 per capita income) vs New Mexico: Cibola County ($36,397). Cibola County's income is 1.3 times (34%) richer than Crowley County's.
Colorado vs New Mexico Taxes
State income tax: Colorado has a top income tax rate of 4.4%, while New Mexico has a top income tax rate of 5.9%. New Mexico's top rate is 1.5 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Colorado: 0.49% effective rate vs New Mexico: 0.63% of home value per year. New Mexico's rate is 0.14 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Colorado: 7.89% combined state and average local rate vs New Mexico: 7.68%. Colorado's combined rate is 0.21 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Colorado official website · New Mexico official website
More Size Comparisons
All Colorado size comparisons · All New Mexico size comparisons
Area, elevation and boundary figures come from official national statistics and US Census Bureau and Natural Earth boundary data; US state population, economic, county and tax figures come from the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Tax Foundation. Figures are rounded and for general reference.