Adjoining neighborhoods include Old Town to the west, Wells Park and the Sawmill District to the north, and Huning Castle and the Raynolds Addition to the south.

The racial breakdown of the neighborhood was 48% non-Hispanic white, 43% Hispanic, 3% American Indian, 2% Black, and 4% other races or mixed-race.

Starting in the 1600s, several haciendas were established in the area by Spanish colonists, possibly including La Glorieta, which is still standing.

Once the Highlands were substantially filled in, the Fourth Ward began to see more building activity, with development peaking around 1905–1915 and continuing into the 1940s.

The neighborhood reflected a wide variety of income levels and architectural styles, with houses ranging from small New Mexico vernacular adobe cottages in the primarily Hispanic western section to large Queen Anne and Prairie School residences on the so-called Judges' Row on 11th and 12th Streets.

Two other historic districts, Watson and Orilla de la Acequia, are listed on the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties.