Cost of Living in Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Santa Fe County ranks #2,700 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 14%)
Sourced county brief
Santa Fe County Median Home Value Estimated at $446,300
Median home value in Santa Fe County was estimated at $446,300 according to the ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. This valuation is $253,573 above the New Mexico unweighted county mean of $192,727. For renter-occupied units, the median gross rent is $1,389 per month, which is higher than the state unweighted county mean of $905. The official gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) from ACS table B25071 is 30.7% in the county. This percentage is 2.3 percentage points above the New Mexico unweighted county mean of 28.4% for GRAPI. Households with renter status have a median income of $50,506. Additionally, the median selected monthly owner costs for all owner-occupied units is $1,217, which is above the state unweighted county mean of $711. These figures represent snapshots from the 2020-2024 reporting period and utilize the median household income of $79,071 across all tenures. 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: Santa Fe County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 30.7% of renter household income in Santa Fe 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 $1,389 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,217. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $55,560 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. Santa Fe County's $1,389 median is 53.6% above that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Santa Fe County
Rent Burden
21.1%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,845
per month
Owner Cost Burden
18.5%
of gross income
The median home in Santa Fe County may be a stretch
Median home value is $446,300. Estimated monthly cost: $3,563 vs. your max of $1,845.
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
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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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