CostBy County

Cost of Living in Sandoval County, New Mexico

$1,427/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$313,800
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$1,427/mo
58% above state average
Median Home Value
$313,800
6% below national
Census GRAPI
30.0%
Median gross rent as % of renter income

Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)

Affordability Rating
Stretched
Median gross rent is 30–50% of renter household income

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 Sandoval County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Sandoval County$1,427/mo
New Mexico Average$905/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$1,427/mo
Median Gross Rent
$313,800
Median Home Value
$1,182/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
30.0%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Sandoval County ranks #2,699 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 14%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Sandoval County Median Gross Rent Reaches $1,427 per Month

The median gross rent in Sandoval County is $1,427, which is $522 higher than the New Mexico unweighted county mean of $905. The official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) is 30.0%. This canonical rent-to-income percentage is 1.6 percentage points above the state unweighted county mean of 28.4%. Median renter-household income in the county was estimated at $60,239. Housing units occupied by owners have a median home value of $313,800, exceeding the state unweighted county mean of $192,727. Median selected monthly owner costs for all households are $1,182, compared to the New Mexico unweighted county mean of $711. These figures represent a snapshot of the 2020-2024 ACS data period. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Sandoval County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 30.0% of renter household income in Sandoval County, which is between the 30% and 50% rent-burden benchmarks. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.

Rent vs. Own

Median gross rent is $1,427 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,182. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $57,080 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. Sandoval County's $1,427 median is 57.8% above that comparison value.

Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Sandoval County

$

Rent Burden

19.8%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$2,022

per month

Owner Cost Burden

16.4%

of gross income

The median home in Sandoval County may be a stretch

Median home value is $313,800. Estimated monthly cost: $2,505 vs. your max of $2,022.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income19.8%
Recommended max30.0%

Income Needed Calculator

See how much you need to earn to comfortably afford housing

$
Rent Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $86,636Needed: $57,080
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $86,636Needed: $50,657
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $86,636Needed: $73,030

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 Sandoval County, New Mexico?
Sandoval County, New Mexico has a median monthly rent of $1,427/mo and a median home value of $313,800. The affordability rating is Stretched, with median gross rent equal to approximately 30.0% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Sandoval County?
The median gross rent in Sandoval County is $1,427/mo. This is 58% above state average for New Mexico.
Is Sandoval County affordable?
Sandoval County is rated Stretched using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 30.0%. Median gross rent is 30–50% of renter household income.
How does Sandoval County's rent compare to the state average?
Sandoval County's median rent of $1,427/mo is 58% above state average of $905/mo for New Mexico.
What is the median home value in Sandoval County?
The median home value in Sandoval County, New Mexico is $313,800. This is 6% below the national median home value of $332,700.

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Published by the CostByCounty Editorial Team. See our methodology and corrections policy.Data build reviewed 2026-07-09; first published 2026-03-10.

Data: 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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