Taos, New Mexico

Taos, New Mexico
Taos Plaza and the Hotel La Fonda, within the Taos Downtown Historic District
Location of Taos, New Mexico
U.S. Census map
Taos, New Mexico
Location in New Mexico
Taos, New Mexico
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 36°23′13″N 105°34′48″W / 36.38694°N 105.58000°W / 36.38694; -105.58000
CountryUnited States
StateNew Mexico
CountyTaos
Founded1795
Incorporated1934
Named afterTaos Pueblo
Government
  TypeMayor-Council-Manager
  MayorPascualito M. Maestas
Area
  Total
6.04 sq mi (15.64 km2)
  Land6.04 sq mi (15.64 km2)
  Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
6,969 ft (2,124 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total
6,474
  Density1,072.03/sq mi (413.94/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain (MST))
  Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
ZIP code
87571
Area code575
FIPS code35-76200
GNIS feature ID2413366
Websitewww.taosgov.com

Taos (/ts/) is a town in Taos County, in the north-central region of New Mexico in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Initially founded in 1615, it was intermittently occupied until its formal establishment in 1795 by Nuevo México Governor Fernando Chacón to act as fortified plaza and trading outpost for the neighboring Native American Taos Pueblo (the town's namesake) and Hispano communities, including Ranchos de Taos, Cañon, Taos Canyon, Ranchitos, El Prado, and Arroyo Seco. The town was incorporated in 1934. The 2021 estimate has a population of 6,567.

Taos is the county seat of Taos County. The English name Taos derives from the native Taos language meaning "(place of) red willows".