Rural New Mexico Needs More Than Speeches

New Mexico leaders love to talk about rural health care, education, and economic opportunity. Yet in 2026, too many rural families still do not have reliable high-speed internet, and some communities are still struggling with basic water and wastewater infrastructure.¹²³

That is not a side issue. Broadband is now basic infrastructure because state and federal officials tie it directly to education, health care, jobs, telehealth, and access to public services.¹⁴⁵ If that is true, then weak broadband in rural New Mexico is not just inconvenient. It is a leadership failure.¹⁴

The numbers are hard to spin. BroadbandNow’s 2026 rankings place New Mexico 37th overall, and only 80.8% of residents have access to 100 Mbps broadband, ranking the state 43rd on that measure.⁶ The governor’s office says about 90% of the state currently has high-speed internet access, with 94% projected by the end of 2026 if current projects stay on track.¹ That still leaves thousands of homes and businesses behind right now.¹⁶

And this is where the speeches stop matching reality. Politicians routinely frame themselves as defenders of rural communities and emphasize hospital access, struggling families, and economic survival in small towns.¹⁷⁸ But reliable internet is now part of all of that. A student without broadband falls behind, a senior without broadband loses telehealth access, and a rancher or small business owner without broadband loses time, money, and market access.⁴⁵

Meanwhile, the state is still dealing with older infrastructure failures too. New Mexico’s Colonias Infrastructure Fund exists because some communities still lack adequate water, wastewater, and other basic public works.² Federal and state sources continue to describe colonia communities as places with persistent deficiencies in potable water and sewer systems.²³ That means some rural New Mexicans are facing a stacked crisis: weak broadband, weak water systems, and weak wastewater infrastructure at the same time.¹²³

The contrast is hard to ignore. In March, the state announced $13.5 million for trails, outdoor programs, and recreation-related investments, including $10 million for the Outdoor Recreation Trails+ grant program and $3.5 million for the Outdoor Equity Fund.⁹ Parks and trails are fine, but families living with bad signal, failing infrastructure, or poor access to basic services should not be told to celebrate amenities while the essentials remain unfinished.¹²⁹

To be fair, New Mexico is finally moving major broadband dollars. The federal government approved the state’s $382 million BEAD plan in January, and the state says it will support more than 42,500 unserved and underserved locations across 32 of 33 counties.¹ Recent projects have expanded service in places like McKinley, Cibola, and Sierra counties.¹⁰¹¹ That is progress, but it is late progress. The need did not begin in 2026.¹¹⁰¹¹

This is why broadband should be treated as part of an essential-services agenda, not a technology agenda. Leaders cannot keep talking about rural survival while acting as if Wi-Fi is optional. If broadband affects health care, education, work, public information, and civic life — and the state says that it does — then failing to deliver it is a policy choice measured in delay and misplaced priorities.¹⁴⁵

Rural New Mexico does not need more speeches. It needs the basics.

Endnotes

1. New Mexico Governor’s Office, “Feds approve New Mexico’s $382M broadband plan,” Jan. 26, 2026. governor.state.nm
2. New Mexico Finance Authority, “Colonias Infrastructure Fund.” nmfinance
3. USDA Rural Development, “Colonias Grant Brings New Wastewater Treatment Plant to Anthony, New Mexico,” Sept. 22, 2024. rd.usda
4. New Mexico Department of Information Technology, “New Mexico Technical Assistance Program.” doit.nm
5. U.S. Treasury, “Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Funding to Expand High-Speed Internet Access and Lower Internet Costs for Native Communities,” Mar. 14, 2024. home.treasury
6. BroadbandNow, “Internet Access in New Mexico: Stats & Figures.” broadbandnow
7. New Mexico Health Care Authority, “Governor announces Rural Health Care Delivery Fund applications open July 1,” June 24, 2025. hca.nm
8. New Mexico Governor’s Office, “Governor awards $20 million to expand rural primary care,” Dec. 18, 2025. governor.state.nm
9. New Mexico Economic Development Department, “State invests $13.5M in trails, programs, recreation economy,” Mar. 22, 2026. edd.newmexico
10. New Mexico Governor’s Office, “Five hundred+ rural locations gain high-speed internet access,” July 7, 2025. governor.state.nm
11. Connect New Mexico / Sierra County project completion coverage, Mar. 27, 2026. connect.nm