Belen, NM: Local News, Events & Neighbors

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.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Belen ranks

All →

#16Best schools in NM #27Most affordable in NM #29Lowest depression in NM All NM rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code87002

Area code505

Living in Belen

Housing in Belen

$272K▲ 2.6% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Belen home is worth about $272,000, up 2.6% in a year, 14% below the New Mexico typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Belen

D⁻

Safety Grade D-

Belen reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 98% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Belen 13

New Mexico 6.5

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Belen 47.9

New Mexico 23.5

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Health in Belen

C⁻

Health Grade C−

Healthier than 17% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 60% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with New Mexico

1better than NM·14worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 17 are too close to call.

Conditions 5▼ 7 close Habits 1▼ 3 close Care 1▲ 2▼ 4 close Mind 2▼ 3 close Everyday needs 4▼ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

76.8%More adults treating high blood pressureNM 73.3% · better 22.2%More uninsured adultsNM 15.6% · worse

Care nearby

VA New Mexico Healthcare SystemAlbuquerque · 23.8 mi · ER

Fcch/Los Lunas CenterLos Lunas · 5 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Belen · CMS · HRSAHealth in Belen →

Schools in Belen

All Belen schools →

B⁻

School Grade B-

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.

#16Best public schoolsof 47 in NM

DistrictBELENSchools8

Rio Grande ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–6 · 332 students Belen Family SchoolElementary · Grades 1–8 · 154 students St. Mary's Catholic School BelenElementary · Grades PK–8 · 166 students Belen MiddleMiddle · Grades 7–8 · 475 students Central ElementaryMiddle · Grades 4–6 · 166 students Belen High B+High · Grades 9–12 · 958 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within NM. Ratings are from neighbors.

Famous people from BelenWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Belen.Meet them →