Cost of Living in Los Alamos County, New Mexico
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.
How Los Alamos County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Los Alamos County ranks #2,903 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 8%)
Sourced county brief
Los Alamos County Median Renter-Household Income Reaches $103,118
Los Alamos County's median renter-household income was estimated at $103,118. The official GRAPI (median gross rent as a percentage of household income) was 18.6%. This official estimate is 9.8 percentage points lower than the New Mexico unweighted county mean for GRAPI of 28.4%. The median gross rent in the county was $1,375 per month, which is $470 higher than the state unweighted county mean of $905. For homeowners, the median selected monthly owner cost was $1,726, exceeding the state unweighted county mean of $711 by $1,015. The median home value was $495,800, while the state unweighted county mean was $192,727. These figures provide a snapshot of housing costs and income for tenure groups in the county using data from the 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Los Alamos County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 18.6% of renter household income in Los Alamos County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $1,375 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,726. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $55,000 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.
Regional Context
The New Mexico unweighted mean of county median rents is $905 per month. Los Alamos County's $1,375 median is 52.0% above that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Los Alamos County
Rent Burden
11.2%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$3,433
per month
Owner Cost Burden
14.1%
of gross income
The median home in Los Alamos County may be a stretch
Median home value is $495,800. Estimated monthly cost: $3,958 vs. your max of $3,433.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
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Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Los Alamos County, New Mexico?
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See Today's RatesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.
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