Ruidoso is located in beautiful Lincoln County, NM. The population of Ruidoso is approximately 12,000. The entire population of Lincoln County is approximately 19,000. As a tourist community, the population of Ruidoso can grow from 30,000 to 50,000 people on specific weekends or times throughout the year. There are essentially two major tourist seasons in Ruidoso: The Race Track season and the Ski season. People from all over the world come to visit our beautiful mountain town and enjoy all it has to offer. The Ruidoso Police Department responds to approximately 10,000 calls per year.