Housing decision brief
Bernalillo County, NM Housing Market
Bernalillo County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
29th lowest home value out of 33 New Mexico counties with data | 28th lowest rent out of 33
Median home value
$268,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,087/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,192/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.0x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$105/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
No signal
No strong positive housing signal was available in the current dataset.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.95% effective property-tax rate is 71% above New Mexico county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is D. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
Poor Fit For
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Bernalillo County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $268,500 | $160,800 | $281,900 | 67% pressure67% above New Mexico county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,087 | $810 | $1,163 | 34% pressure34% above New Mexico county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,192 | $628 | $1,672 | 90% pressure90% above New Mexico county median |
Median household income | $66,514 | $51,765 | $74,755 | 28% favorable28% above New Mexico county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.95% | 0.55% | 1.02% | 71% pressure71% above New Mexico county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 29.00% | N/A | Near state median30.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$23,034
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$15,428
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Bernalillo County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $1,087/month in gross rent, with 30.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
Renters in Bernalillo County pay $1,087/month on average, compared to $1,192/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 9%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $43,480/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $51,086/year. With a median household income of $66,514, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Bernalillo County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Eddy County where rent averages $1,183/month, Bernalillo County is approximately 8% less expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline County, MD | $272,400 | $1,070/mo | Out-of-state peer near $272,400 home value and $1,070/mo rent. |
| Fayette County, KY | $272,100 | $1,101/mo | Out-of-state peer near $272,100 home value and $1,101/mo rent. |
| Glynn County, GA | $268,300 | $1,060/mo | Out-of-state peer near $268,300 home value and $1,060/mo rent. |
| Windham County, VT | $265,100 | $1,056/mo | Out-of-state peer near $265,100 home value and $1,056/mo rent. |
| Taos County, NM | $354,000 | $1,069/mo | Same-state comparison near $354,000 home value and $1,069/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Bernalillo County
Is Bernalillo County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Bernalillo County?
How much income do you need for housing in Bernalillo County?
What should I double-check before moving to Bernalillo County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.