In the early 1960s, the AMREP Corporation purchased 55,000 acres of land on the outskirts of Albuquerque, originally called Rio Rancho Estates. This was the beginning of Rio Rancho. The magnificent view of the Sandia Mountains, the warm summer days and cool evenings, and the mild winter temperatures are just a few of the enticements to move to Rio Rancho. A 2006 real estate survey has estimated the population of Rio Rancho, New Mexico at 71,607.