Cost of Living in Sierra 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 Sierra County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Sierra County ranks #193 of 3,142 counties for affordability (top 6%)
Sourced county brief
Sierra County Median Owner Costs Below State Unweighted Mean
Sierra County has a median selected monthly owner cost of $460, which is $251 below the New Mexico unweighted county mean of $711. The median home value in the county is $152,600, while the state unweighted county mean is $192,727. For renter households, the median gross rent is $729, a figure below the state unweighted county mean of $905. The official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) is 30.5%. This canonical rent-to-income percentage is 2.1 percentage points higher than the state unweighted county mean of 28.4%. Median renter-household income in the county was estimated at $35,303. All cost figures are snapshot estimates from the American Community Survey. 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: Sierra County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 30.5% of renter household income in Sierra 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 $729 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $460. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $29,160 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. Sierra County's $729 median is 19.4% below that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Sierra County
Rent Burden
21.0%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$971
per month
Owner Cost Burden
13.3%
of gross income
The median home in Sierra County may be a stretch
Median home value is $152,600. Estimated monthly cost: $1,218 vs. your max of $971.
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 Sierra County, New Mexico?
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How does Sierra County's rent compare to the state average?
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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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