Felipe Chaves House · National Register of Historic Places
Belen’s story
286 years in pictures
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1740Belen is settled
BelenNM
A town of 7,450, settled in 1740. Safer than 2% of U.S. towns.
Population
7,450
+1.3% since 2010
Typical home
$272K
+2.6% in a year
Household income
$43K
median
Median age
37.1
years
Jobs based here
3,003
Balanced
What makes Belen stand out
The 3 things Belen does most differently from other towns.
100 U.S. towns● Belen
Safety
Safer than 2%
of U.S. towns we grade
Safety Grade D−. FBI data, crimes reported to police.
Felipe Chaves HouseHistory
Settled in 1740
4 places on the National Register
Archive photos and papers going back 286 years.
B−School Grade
Schools
#16 for schools in NM
of 47 towns
School Grade B−.
Belen’s report card
SafetyD−Less crime than 2% of U.S. townsSchoolsB−Beats 48% of NM districtsHousing$272K14% below the NM typical homeHealthC−Healthier than 17% of U.S. townsHazards75/100High risk of storm & flood damageClimate93°/23°Summer high · winter low · 5″ snowCommute30 miHalf of commuters travel lessOutdoors5 miof trails · 0% conserved
Now in Belen
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Weather
Forecast →58°
Sunny
H 72° · L 51°
Local news
All →- Standing water closes some Belen roads, but mayor says infrastructure upgrades prevent major floodingKOAT · Sep 30
- Belen vs Manzano - Girls Junior Varsity Basketball 12/18/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 29
- Alamo Navajo vs Away - Girls Varsity Volleyball 09/24/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 24
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Belen. Another town gets a different order.
Safety
Less crime per resident than 2% of U.S. towns
Belen reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 98% report less.
D−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Belen13
New Mexico6.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Belen47.9
New Mexico23.5
U.S.15.5
2nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
3rd
percentile among NM towns
99
violent crimes reported in 2025
364
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Schools
Belen’s public schools outperform 48% of New Mexico districts
The public schools Belen’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 52% of New Mexico’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande Elementary | PK–6 | 332 | Not graded |
| Belen Family School | 1–8 | 154 | Not graded |
| St. Mary's Catholic School Belen Private | PK–8 | 166 | |
| Belen Middle | 7–8 | 475 | Not graded |
| Central Elementary | 4–6 | 166 | Not graded |
| Belen High | 9–12 | 958 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NM on state tests and graduationAll 8 schools →
Housing
A typical Belen home is worth about $272K
The typical Belen home is worth about $272,000, up 2.6% in a year, 14% below the New Mexico typical home.
$272KZillow home value
Typical home value
Belen$272K
New Mexico$318K
+2.6%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 17% of U.S. towns
Belen beats the New Mexico average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 14.
C−Health Grade
32 measures vs. New Mexico
1 better17 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Belen | NM |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 76.8% | 73.3% |
| More uninsured adults | 22.2% | 15.6% |
VA New Mexico Healthcare System
23.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
27th
percentile among NM towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 75% of U.S. communities.
75risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakes
23
paid flood claims since 1988
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Four seasons, hot summers
Belen has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 93°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 5 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
5″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–53°
Spring40–73°
Summer61–92°
Fall42–72°
Oct 21
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Work & commute
About one in six working residents works right in Belen
Most working residents leave Belen for work: only 16% work in town. The top destinations are Albuquerque (38%), Los Lunas (12%) and Santa Fe (3%). Half commute less than 30 miles.
16%work in town
Where working residents work
In Belen16%
Albuquerque38%
Los Lunas12%
Santa Fe3%
Rio Rancho2%
30 mi
median commute distance
3,003
jobs based in Belen
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors
0% of Belen is conserved land
4.9 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 2 of 12,173 acres
4.9 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Vivian Fields | — | 12 |
| 2. Anna Becker Park | — | 2 |
| 3. Jose Gallegos Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Landmarks
4 places in Belen on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Belen
City in New Mexico, United States
Belén (; Spanish: Belén) is the second most populated city in Valencia County, New Mexico, the United States, after its county seat, Los Lunas. The population was 7,360 as of the 2020 Census. Belén is Spanish for Bethlehem. It gained the nickname "Hub City" after the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway completed a line through it in 1907. The city is geographically near the center of New Mexico, and is a significant transportation hub that includes access to rails, Interstate Highway 25, and air at Valencia County's only public airport. Belén is at the southern end of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is located 35 miles south of Albuquerque.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1740
- Population
- 7,360
- Area
- 8.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 4,810 ft
- ZIP code
- 87002
- Area code
- 505
Belen’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Belen.
SausalLos ChavesJaralesPueblitosBelen