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NMNew Mexico rankings

Towns where rent is easiest to afford in New Mexico

Ranked by the share of renter households spending 30% or more of their income on rent, the federal "cost-burdened" line. 21 towns with 2,500+ residents.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

Map of Los Alamos 1 Los Alamos 29.8% Median rent $1,359 Carlsbad 2 Carlsbad 32.8% Median rent $1,236 Holloman AFB 3 Holloman AFB 39% Median rent $1,230
#TownRenters paying 30%+Median rentRenter households
1 Map of Los Alamos Los Alamos13,317 people 29.8% $1,359 1,969
2 Carlsbad Carlsbad31,746 people 32.8% $1,236 3,309
3 Holloman AFB Holloman AFB4,433 people 39% $1,230 1,017
4 Kirtland AFB3,413 people 40.6% $1,794 1,159
5 Farmington Farmington46,314 people 40.8% $1,037 5,470
6 Map of Chaparral Chaparral18,186 people 40.8% $853 1,142
7 Silver City9,536 people 43.7% $866 1,443
8 Portales Portales11,968 people 44.5% $903 2,164
9 Hobbs40,252 people 46% $1,112 4,090
10 Española Española10,473 people 46.5% $829 1,246
11 Map of South Valley South Valley37,120 people 48.1% $954 2,810
12 Map of Gallup Gallup21,023 people 48.3% $927 2,942
13 Map of Artesia Artesia12,576 people 48.7% $1,288 1,227
14 Map of Alamogordo Alamogordo31,307 people 49.4% $902 4,811
15 Roswell Roswell47,638 people 49.6% $876 5,137
16 Clovis Clovis37,942 people 50.1% $988 5,397
17 Rio Rancho108,515 people 51.9% $1,514 6,802
18 Santa Fe Santa Fe89,019 people 52.1% $1,463 14,470
19 Albuquerque Albuquerque562,218 people 52.4% $1,145 88,296
20 Las Vegas Las Vegas13,000 people 56% $792 2,306
21 Las Cruces Las Cruces114,197 people 57% $974 19,206

How this ranking works

We rank every town by the share of renter households spending 30% or more of their income on rent, the federal "cost-burdened" line. Lower is better. Only towns with 1,000+ renter households are ranked, because smaller samples are too uncertain. The town with the lowest figure ranks #1. For comparison, the figure for New Mexico as a whole is 50.2%.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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