The most important community in the municipality outside of the seat is San Rafael, located about 5 km east of the town of Tlalmanalco at the foot of the Iztaccihuatl volcano The town essentially was created due to the placement of the San Rafael paper mill, which reached its height of production between 1930 and 1970. Its old cinema and casino are still standing but empty, and there are a number of older houses that show the French influence that was popular in Mexico between the 19th and 20th centuries. The town is nearly surrounded by pine forest and there are many unpaved roads leading into it, most of which were cut by the paper mill.