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San Francisco El Alto, Guatemala

Totonicapán · Guatemala

San Francisco El Alto is a mid-size city in Totonicapán, Guatemala with a population of 57,894. Elevation: 8,668 ft (2,642 m). Average temperature: 55°F (13°C).

Data updated June 2026

57,894 Population 1,260/sq mi density
8,668 ft Elevation 2,642 meters
55°F Avg Temperature 13°C
52.2 in Annual Rain
America / Guatemala Timezone

Discover San Francisco El Alto, Guatemala

Explore over 40 sections covering people, economy, housing, health, crime, climate, community, costs, trends, schools, colleges, hospitals, treatment centers, industries, museums, libraries, breweries, farmers markets, grocery stores, pharmacies, campgrounds, parks, trails, stadiums, ski resorts, daycare centers, nursing homes, churches, fire stations, cell towers, bridges, power plants, EV stations, prisons, radio stations, airports, police stations, post offices, Amtrak stations, superfund sites, UNESCO sites, and more.
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About San Francisco El Alto

San Francisco El Alto

San Francisco El Alto is a town, with a population of 38,995, and a municipality in the Totonicapán department of Guatemala.

People

Population57,894
Density1,260/mi²

Climate

Avg Temp55°F (13°C)
Rain52.2 in/yr
Sunny Days241/yr
Elevation8,668 ft (2,642 m)
Population57,894
Population Density1,260 / sq mi
Elevation8,668 ft (2,642 m)
Coordinates14.9449°, -91.4431°
TimezoneAmerica/Guatemala
Country🇬🇹 Guatemala
State / ProvinceTotonicapán
Average Temperature55°F (13°C)
January Average52°F (11°C)
July Average56°F (14°C)
Annual Precipitation52.2 inches (1,327 mm)
Annual Snowfall0.0 inches (0 cm)

About San Francisco El Alto

San Francisco El Alto is a mid-size city in Guatemala (Totonicapán) with a population of 57,894. The city sits at an elevation of 8,668 feet (2,642 meters) above sea level. The average annual temperature is 55°F (13°C). Temperatures range from 52°F in January to 56°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 52.2 inches. The timezone is America/Guatemala.

Climate in San Francisco El Alto

San Francisco El Alto has an average annual temperature of 15.8°C (60°F). The hottest month is May (17.5°C), the coldest is Jan (13.8°C). Average annual precipitation is 2406 mm.

Month Avg °C / °F Min / Max °C Rain (mm)
Jan 13.8°C / 57°F 6.6° / 22.1° 18.2
Feb 14.3°C / 58°F 6.6° / 23.3° 13.2
Mar 15.9°C / 61°F 7° / 25.2° 38.2
Apr 17.3°C / 63°F 8.4° / 26.3° 80.3
May 17.5°C / 64°F 10.8° / 25.7° 262.6
Jun 16.8°C / 62°F 11° / 23.8° 406.7
Jul 16.3°C / 61°F 9.7° / 22.8° 253.8
Aug 16.3°C / 61°F 10° / 22.7° 380.4
Sep 16.4°C / 62°F 10.7° / 22.4° 457.8
Oct 16.1°C / 61°F 10.4° / 22.1° 365.3
Nov 15°C / 59°F 8.4° / 21.7° 109.0
Dec 13.9°C / 57°F 5.6° / 21.5° 20.9
San Francisco El Alto experiences four distinct seasons with an average annual temperature of 55°F (13°C). Winters average 52°F in January while summers reach 56°F in July / relatively mild seasonal variation. The area gets 241 sunny days per year, above the national average. Annual precipitation totals 52.2 inches (wetter than the 38-inch national average). The city sits at an elevation of 8,668 feet, a high-altitude location.

Temperature

52°F Jan (11°C) 56°F Jul (14°C)
Annual Average54.9°F
2% above Guatemala avg
January Average52°F (11°C)
July Average56°F (14°C)
Sunny Days241 days/yr

Geography

Elevation8,668 ft (2,642 m)
Area45.9 sq mi (119.0 km²)
Population Density1,260/sq mi
Coordinates14.9449°N, 91.4431°W
TimezoneAmerica/Guatemala

Precipitation & Snow

Annual Rainfall 52.2"
37% above Guatemala avg
Snowfall 0.0"
Wettest Month (Jun) 10.28"
Driest Month (Jan) 0.24"

Air Quality

Earthquake History

1,821 earthquakes (M2.5+) within 150 km since 1990. Strongest: M7.4. Most recent: M4.6 on Aug 25, 2025.

Nov 7, 2012 33 km S of Champerico, Guatemala M7.4 117 km
Sep 10, 1993 24 km W of Puerto Madero, Mexico M7.2 132 km
Jun 14, 2017 2 km SSW of San Pablo, Guatemala M6.9 61 km
Jul 7, 2014 4 km W of Puerto Madero, Mexico M6.9 112 km
Sep 3, 1993 38 km SW of Puerto Madero, Mexico M6.8 144 km
Jun 22, 2017 28 km SW of Puerto San José, Guatemala M6.8 146 km
Feb 1, 2019 5 km SW of Puerto Madero, Mexico M6.7 113 km
Jan 10, 1998 10 km SSW of San José El Ídolo, Guatemala M6.6 64 km
Nov 11, 2012 32 km SW of Champerico, Guatemala M6.5 119 km
May 12, 2024 28 km WSW of Brisas Barra de Suchiate, Mexico M6.4 124 km
May 17, 2023 8 km SE of Canillá, Guatemala M6.4 71 km
Sep 7, 2013 7 km ESE of Ignacio López Rayón, Mexico M6.4 82 km
Jun 6, 1999 6 km ESE of Puerto San José, Guatemala M6.3 137 km
Mar 12, 2000 3 km ESE of Plan de Ayala, Mexico M6.3 108 km
May 3, 2009 5 km S of San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala M6.3 55 km
Sep 18, 1991 4 km SE of Patzún, Guatemala M6.2 59 km
Mar 25, 2013 3 km NW of Fraijanes, Guatemala M6.2 117 km
Feb 16, 2022 12 km WSW of Nueva Concepción, Guatemala M6.2 89 km
Mar 3, 1998 9 km SSW of San José El Ídolo, Guatemala M6.1 63 km
May 8, 1999 9 km SSW of Champerico, Guatemala M6.1 98 km
Source: USGS (M2.5+, 1990–2025)

Hurricane History

3 hurricanes (Cat 1+) within 500 km since 1980. Strongest: Category 1. Most recent: Barbara (2013).

Year Name Category Closest
2013 Barbara Category 1 298 km
2005 Adrian Category 1 284 km
1996 Douglas Category 1 279 km
Source: NOAA IBTrACS (Cat 1+, 1980–2026)

Tsunami History

3 tsunamis recorded within 500 km. Highest wave on record: 4.0 m (13 ft).

Year Location Cause Max Wave Deaths Distance
2005 LAGO DE ATITLAN Meteorological 4.0 m — 39 km
2012 GUATEMALA Earthquake 0.4 m 48 117 km
1950 GUATEMALA Earthquake 0.2 m — 87 km
Source: NOAA/NCEI Historical Tsunami Database. Sorted by wave height.

Nearby Volcanoes

15 volcanoes within 200 km. Closest: Almolonga (18 km).

Name Type Elevation Last Eruption Distance
Almolonga Stratovolcano 3,173 m (10,410 ft) 1818 18 km
Santa Maria Stratovolcano 3,745 m (12,287 ft) 2020 24 km
Toliman Stratovolcano(es) 3,158 m (10,361 ft) Unknown 46 km
Tacana Stratovolcano 4,064 m (13,333 ft) 1986 75 km
Acatenango Stratovolcano(es) 3,976 m (13,045 ft) 1972 79 km
Fuego Stratovolcano(es) 3,763 m (12,346 ft) 2020 80 km
Agua Stratovolcano 3,760 m (12,336 ft) Unknown 92 km
Pacaya Complex 2,569 m (8,428 ft) 2020 110 km
Cuilapa-Barbarena Volcanic field 1,454 m (4,770 ft) Unknown 131 km
Tecuamburro Stratovolcano 1,845 m (6,053 ft) -960 142 km
Flores Volcanic field 1,600 m (5,249 ft) Unknown 171 km
Tahual Stratovolcano 1,716 m (5,630 ft) Unknown 176 km
Moyuta Stratovolcano 1,662 m (5,453 ft) Unknown 177 km
Santiago, Cerro Volcanic field 1,192 m (3,911 ft) Unknown 183 km
Suchitan Stratovolcano(es) 2,042 m (6,699 ft) Unknown 189 km
Source: Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program (GVP). Sorted by distance.

Monthly Weather

Month Avg Temperature Precipitation Summary
January 52°F (11°C) 0.2 in Coldest, Driest
February 53°F (12°C) 0.5 in
March 56°F (13°C) 0.8 in
April 57°F (14°C) 2.0 in Warmest
May 57°F (14°C) 6.5 in
June 56°F (14°C) 10.3 in Wettest
July 56°F (14°C) 6.8 in
August 56°F (13°C) 7.4 in
September 56°F (13°C) 9.5 in
October 55°F (13°C) 5.9 in
November 54°F (12°C) 1.9 in
December 52°F (11°C) 0.5 in

San Francisco El Alto has a seasonal temperature swing of 5°F / from 52°F in January to 57°F in April. Total annual precipitation is 52.3 inches, with June being the wettest month (10.3") and January the driest (0.2").

View full weather details →

Schools in San Francisco El Alto

1 public schools (NCES 2022-23 data).

School Level Enrollment Teachers Student/Teacher
español — — — —
View full schools details →

Radio Stations near San Francisco El Alto

4 stations within ~55 km.

Station Genre Quality
Stereo 100, Quetzaltenango latin pop, local news AAC 64 kbps
RADIO ESLA — AAC
Radio Sololá 88.7 fm, contemporary hits AAC+ 96 kbps
Dinámica 89.9 FM entretenimiento, latino MP3 128 kbps

Museums in San Francisco El Alto

NameTypeAddressPhoneAnnual Revenue
Centro Intercultural de Quetzaltenango
Chocolatería Doña Pancha
Museo Casa Botrán
Museo de Historia Natural y Casa de la Cultura de Occidente
Museo Ixkik´ del Traje Maya
Railway Museum Los Altos
Tertulianos

Libraries in San Francisco El Alto

NameAddressStaffAnnual VisitsCirculationCollectionPrograms
Geo Liberí y Papeleria0.0

Farmers Markets in San Francisco El Alto

NameAddressSeasonHoursOrganicWebsite
CENTRO COMERICIAL
Comercializadora Mexicana
mercado central
Mercado de Artesanía Tzunun'Ya
Mercado la Democracia
Mercado La Terminal
Mercado Las Flores
Mercado Municipal
Mercado Municipal
Mercado Municipal
Mercado Municipal
Mercado Municipal de San Juan Ostuncalco
Mercado Municipal El Centro
Mercado Paloma
Mercado Trigales

Gas Stations in San Francisco El Alto

2 gas stations within city radius — OpenStreetMap data

ARO
Formula 1

Stadiums & Teams in San Francisco El Alto

TeamLeagueDivision

Airports Near San Francisco El Alto

18 airports within the area.

AirportIATAType
Retalhuleu AirportRERMedium Airport
Canilla Airport—Small Airport
Chajul Airport—Small Airport
Champerico Airport—Small Airport
Coatepeque AirportCTFSmall Airport
Finca El Alamo Airport—Small Airport
Huehuetenango AirportHUGSmall Airport
Jayabaj Airport—Small Airport
La Noria Airport—Small Airport
Malacatán Airport—Small Airport
Nebaj—Small Airport
Quezaltenango AirportAAZSmall Airport
Quiché AirportAQBSmall Airport
San Marcos Airport—Small Airport
Santiago Airport—Small Airport
Tiquisate Airport—Small Airport
Uspantan Airport—Small Airport
Zacualpa Airport—Small Airport

Quick Facts

Timezone
America/Guatemala

Things to See Near San Francisco El Alto

11 places within 15 km

🏰 Castles (1)
  • • Castillo El Carmen
⛰️ Peaks (5)
  • • Cerro de Oro
  • • Cerro Huitán
  • • Cerro Quiac
  • • Cumbre de Nahualá
  • • Volcán Coxliquel
🌄 Viewpoints (5)
  • • Cerro El Baul - Mirador
  • • Kaxtun
  • • Marimbabaj
  • • Nice view of Santa Maria volcano
  • • Tamborabaj

🇬🇹 About Guatemala

Capital Guatemala City
Population 17,247,807
Area 108,890 km²
GDP (USD) $104,368,755,055
GDP per capita $5,758
HDI 0.662
Life expectancy 72.6 years
Internet users 56.1%
Urban population 55.6%
Currency GTQ (Quetzal)
Languages Spanish
Calling code +502
TLD .gt
Driving side right

Public Holidays in Guatemala

13 public holidays this year

Date Holiday Local Name
Jan 1 New Year's Day New Year's Day
Apr 2 Maundy Thursday Maundy Thursday
Apr 3 Good Friday Good Friday
Apr 4 Holy Saturday Holy Saturday
Apr 5 Easter Sunday Easter Sunday
May 1 International Workers' Day International Workers' Day
Jun 30 Army Day Army Day
Sep 15 Independence Day Independence Day
Oct 20 Revolution Day Revolution Day
Nov 1 All Saints' Day All Saints' Day
Dec 24 Christmas Eve Christmas Eve
Dec 25 Christmas Day Christmas Day
Dec 31 New Year's Eve New Year's Eve

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Frequently Asked Questions About San Francisco El Alto

What is the population of San Francisco El Alto?

San Francisco El Alto has a population of 57,894 residents and is located in Guatemala. The population density is 1,260 people per square mile, spread across 45.9 square miles.

What is the weather like in San Francisco El Alto?

San Francisco El Alto has a four-season climate with an average annual temperature of 55°F (13°C). Winter temperatures average 52°F in January, while summers reach an average of 56°F in July. The area receives 241 sunny days per year. Annual rainfall totals 52.2 inches.

Nearby Cities

San Cristóbal Totonicapán 4,191 pop · 1.9 mi San Andrés Xecul 15,074 pop · 3.8 mi Salcajá 19,434 pop · 4.6 mi Totonicapán 103,952 pop · 6.0 mi San Francisco la Unión 1,170 pop · 6.7 mi Momostenango 31,739 pop · 7.2 mi San Carlos Sija 6,831 pop · 7.6 mi Quetzaltenango 180,706 pop · 8.8 mi Cantel 42,142 pop · 9.3 mi La Esperanza 16,461 pop · 9.4 mi Almolonga 12,299 pop · 9.6 mi Santa María Chiquimula 6,980 pop · 9.6 mi San Bartolo 1,290 pop · 9.7 mi Nahualá 27,690 pop · 10.9 mi
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