What Hardiness Zone Is New Mexico?
New Mexico spans USDA hardiness zones 5a–8b on the 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The most common zone is 7b, covering 25% of New Mexico's ZIP codes, followed by zone 7a (22%). Zone 7b means the coldest night of an average winter reaches 5°F to 10°F (−15°C to −12°C). Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.
New Mexico hardiness zones by share of ZIP codes
What the zones mean for New Mexico gardeners
- Coldest and warmest towns: among towns with NOAA weather stations, Tres Piedras (8,139 ft) is in zone 5b, while State University (3,886 ft) is in zone 8b. That is a difference of about 30°F in the coldest night of a typical winter.
- Same zone, different frost dates: within zone 7b, the median last spring frost ranges from April 4 at Conchas Dam to April 30 at Redrock 1 NNE, 26 days apart. Your zone tells you which perennials survive winter; your frost dates tell you when to plant.
Typical frost dates in each New Mexico zone
Medians across NOAA weather stations in each zone. Colder zones usually have later spring frosts, but local terrain can shift the dates by weeks.
| Zone | Last spring frost | First fall frost | Stations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5b | May 31 | September 27 | 7 |
| 6a | May 29 | October 1 | 19 |
| 6b | May 4 | October 12 | 13 |
| 7a | May 2 | October 13 | 25 |
| 7b | April 19 | October 24 | 21 |
| 8a | April 2 | November 6 | 19 |
Hardiness zones for New Mexico cities
Zones at the National Weather Service stations, mostly city airports, with their median frost dates.
| Albuquerque Intl Airport | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 5,310 | Apr 6 | Nov 3 |
| Clines Corners | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 7,086 | May 4 | Oct 12 |
| Columbus | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 4,065 | Mar 18 | Nov 11 |
| Farmington Regional Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 5,495 | May 2 | Oct 13 |
| Gallup Municipal Airport | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 6,471 | May 31 | Sep 28 |
| Las Cruces 20 N | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 4,327 | Apr 24 | Oct 24 |
| Raton Municipal Crews Airport | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 6,349 | May 11 | Oct 4 |
| Santa Fe County Municipal Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 6,344 | May 4 | Oct 15 |
| Socorro 20 N | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 4,847 | Apr 12 | Oct 27 |
| Truth Or Consequence Airport | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 4,850 | Mar 22 | Nov 9 |
| Zuni | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 6,311 | May 29 | Oct 2 |
Hardiness zones for 105 towns in New Mexico
Each NOAA weather station is shown with the USDA zone of the nearest ZIP code (within 8 miles). Coldest night is the zone's range for the average annual extreme minimum temperature. Click a column to sort.
| Abiquiu Dam | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 6,380 | Apr 29 | Oct 16 |
| Alamogordo | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 4,380 | Mar 9 | Nov 18 |
| Albuquerque Foothills NE | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 5,994 | Apr 21 | Oct 23 |
| Albuquerque Intl Airport | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 5,310 | Apr 6 | Nov 3 |
| Albuquerque Valley | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 4,955 | Apr 18 | Oct 24 |
| Alcalde | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 5,680 | May 10 | Oct 4 |
| Amistad 5 SSW | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 4,445 | Apr 27 | Oct 17 |
| Angel Fire 1S | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 8,500 | Jun 18 | Sep 8 |
| Aztec Ruins National Monument | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 5,644 | May 12 | Oct 6 |
| Bernardo | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 4,735 | Apr 29 | Oct 14 |
| Bosque Del Apache | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 4,512 | Apr 28 | Oct 16 |
| Brantley Dam | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 3,213 | Mar 25 | Nov 8 |
| Caballo Dam | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 4,239 | Mar 25 | Nov 6 |
| Capitan | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 6,480 | May 3 | Oct 12 |
| Capulin | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 6,840 | May 17 | Oct 1 |
| Carlsbad Caverns | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 4,435 | Apr 2 | Nov 11 |
| Cerro | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 7,650 | May 31 | Sep 26 |
| Chama | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 7,850 | Jun 14 | Sep 18 |
| Cimarron 4 SW | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 6,540 | May 11 | Oct 3 |
| Clines Corners | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 7,086 | May 4 | Oct 12 |
| Cloudcroft | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 8,679 | May 18 | Oct 1 |
| Clovis | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 4,295 | Apr 14 | Oct 29 |
| Cochiti Dam | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 5,560 | Apr 26 | Oct 21 |
| Columbus | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 4,065 | Mar 18 | Nov 11 |
| Conchas Dam | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 4,244 | Apr 4 | Nov 2 |
| Corrales | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 5,026 | Apr 25 | Oct 17 |
| Cubero | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 6,195 | May 13 | Oct 4 |
| Dark Canyon Road | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 3,924 | Apr 6 | Nov 1 |
| Deming | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 4,300 | Apr 7 | Nov 3 |
| Dilia | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 5,150 | May 2 | Oct 13 |
| Eagle Nest | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 8,280 | Jun 16 | Sep 14 |
| El Morro Natl Mon | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 7,223 | Jun 3 | Sep 27 |
| El Rito | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 6,870 | May 15 | Oct 7 |
| Elk | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 5,934 | May 7 | Oct 11 |
| Espanola | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 5,620 | May 11 | Oct 6 |
| Estancia 4N | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 6,140 | May 18 | Oct 1 |
| Farmington Regional Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 5,495 | May 2 | Oct 13 |
| Faywood | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 5,251 | Apr 21 | Oct 31 |
| Fence Lake | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 7,065 | May 31 | Oct 1 |
| Fort Bayard | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 6,099 | Apr 4 | Nov 8 |
| Fort Sumner 5 S | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 4,050 | Apr 18 | Oct 26 |
| Fruitland | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 5,130 | May 12 | Oct 4 |
| Gallup Municipal Airport | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 6,471 | May 31 | Sep 28 |
| Gallup Sand & Gravel | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 6,577 | May 11 | Oct 7 |
| Gascon | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 8,250 | May 28 | Sep 26 |
| Grants Airport | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 6,520 | May 17 | Oct 3 |
| Hillsboro | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 5,267 | Apr 23 | Oct 23 |
| Hobbs | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 3,660 | Mar 28 | Nov 10 |
| Hobbs 13W | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 3,836 | Mar 28 | Nov 13 |
| Jemez Dam | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 5,388 | Apr 17 | Oct 24 |
| Jemez Springs | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 6,262 | May 9 | Oct 11 |
| Las Cruces 20 N | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 4,327 | Apr 24 | Oct 24 |
| Lindrith 1 WSW | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 7,220 | May 28 | Sep 27 |
| Lordsburg 4 SE | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 4,244 | Apr 27 | Oct 25 |
| Los Alamos | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 7,424 | May 2 | Oct 12 |
| Los Lunas 3 SSW | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 4,840 | Apr 23 | Oct 21 |
| Luna Ranger Station | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 7,050 | Jun 17 | Sep 21 |
| Maxwell 3 NW | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 6,017 | May 17 | Oct 1 |
| McCarty Rch | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 4,410 | Apr 20 | Oct 21 |
| McGaffey 5 SE | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 8,000 | Jun 5 | Sep 25 |
| Melrose | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 4,599 | Apr 17 | Oct 26 |
| Mosquero 1 NE | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 5,465 | May 3 | Oct 12 |
| Mountain Park | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 6,804 | Apr 30 | Oct 21 |
| Mountainair 8NW | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 6,672 | May 7 | Oct 9 |
| Navajo Dam | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 5,770 | Apr 27 | Oct 19 |
| Ocate 2 NW | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 7,655 | May 26 | Sep 26 |
| Ochoa | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 3,398 | Apr 4 | Nov 6 |
| Orogrande | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 4,221 | Mar 24 | Nov 7 |
| Pecos National Monument | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 6,878 | May 15 | Oct 3 |
| Petroglyph Natl Mon | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 5,121 | Apr 15 | Oct 27 |
| Picacho | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 4,990 | Apr 19 | Oct 25 |
| Placitas 4W | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 5,585 | Apr 16 | Oct 23 |
| Portales | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 4,010 | Apr 15 | Oct 26 |
| Ragland 3 SSW | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 5,060 | Apr 24 | Oct 21 |
| Raton Municipal Crews Airport | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 6,349 | May 11 | Oct 4 |
| Red River | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 8,667 | Jun 19 | Sep 7 |
| Redrock 1 NNE | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 4,056 | Apr 30 | Oct 23 |
| Reserve Ranger Station | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 5,847 | May 30 | Oct 3 |
| Rio Grande Nature Center | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 4,944 | Apr 23 | Oct 20 |
| Rio Rancho #1 | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 5,230 | Apr 16 | Oct 23 |
| Rio Rancho #2 | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 5,290 | Apr 8 | Nov 1 |
| Roy | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 5,743 | Apr 30 | Oct 15 |
| Ruidoso | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 6,930 | May 11 | Oct 5 |
| San Jon | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 4,230 | Apr 18 | Oct 24 |
| Sandia Park | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 7,030 | May 9 | Oct 9 |
| Santa Fe County Municipal Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 6,344 | May 4 | Oct 15 |
| Santa Fe Seton | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 7,000 | May 2 | Oct 17 |
| Santa Rosa | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 4,650 | Apr 20 | Oct 23 |
| Santa Teresa Airport | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 4,109 | Mar 23 | Nov 11 |
| Socorro 20 N | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 4,847 | Apr 12 | Oct 27 |
| Stanley 2 NNE | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 6,375 | May 9 | Oct 7 |
| Star Lake | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 6,635 | May 28 | Sep 28 |
| State University | 8b | 15°F to 20°F | 3,886 | Mar 12 | Nov 13 |
| Taos | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 6,965 | May 19 | Oct 3 |
| Tatum | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 4,012 | Apr 19 | Oct 26 |
| Tierra Amarilla 4 N | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 7,464 | Jun 11 | Sep 20 |
| Tres Piedras | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 8,139 | May 31 | Sep 28 |
| Truth Or Consequence Airport | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 4,850 | Mar 22 | Nov 9 |
| Tularosa | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 4,422 | Apr 5 | Nov 4 |
| Valmora | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 6,325 | May 18 | Oct 1 |
| Villanueva | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 5,765 | Apr 24 | Oct 20 |
| White Sands Natl Mon | 8a | 10°F to 15°F | 4,006 | Apr 22 | Oct 22 |
| White Signal | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 5,991 | Apr 23 | Oct 26 |
| Winston | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 6,196 | May 10 | Oct 8 |
| Zuni | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 6,311 | May 29 | Oct 2 |
Frequently asked questions
What hardiness zone is New Mexico?
New Mexico is in USDA hardiness zones 5a–8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 7b is the most common, covering 25% of New Mexico's ZIP codes, and zone 7a covers 22%. Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.
What does zone 7b mean?
Zone 7b means the average annual extreme minimum temperature, the coldest night of a typical winter, is 5°F to 10°F (−15°C to −12°C). Perennials, shrubs and trees rated for zone 7b or colder should survive winter there.
What is the coldest hardiness zone in New Mexico?
Zone 5a is the coldest zone mapped in New Mexico, and zone 8b is the warmest, found around State University.
Did New Mexico's hardiness zones change in 2023?
The USDA released a new Plant Hardiness Zone Map in November 2023, based on 1991–2020 temperatures instead of 1976–2005. About half of the United States shifted half a zone warmer. Check your ZIP code here, because plant tags and older books may still list your 2012 zone.
When should I plant in zone 7b?
Hardiness zones don't set planting dates; frost dates do. Inside zone 7b in New Mexico, the median last spring frost varies from April 4 to April 30. Look up your local frost dates and plant tender crops such as tomatoes after the 10%-risk last-frost date.
Zone and frost dates: use both
Your hardiness zone answers one question: will this plant survive the winter here? Choose perennials, shrubs, trees and bulbs rated for your zone or a colder one. For vegetables and annuals, what matters is the length of the frost-free season. See New Mexico frost dates by town, or get a planting calendar for your ZIP code with start-indoors, transplant and sowing dates for 30 crops.
Sources and method
Zones are from the USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP-code files published by the PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, based on 1991–2020 minimum temperatures. ZIP codes are assigned to states by USPS prefix. Town zones use the ZIP code nearest each NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals station. This is an independent tool, not an official USDA site. Full methodology.
Hardiness zones in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
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- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
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- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
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- Montana
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- North Carolina
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