Housing decision brief
Catron County, NM Housing Market
Catron County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable 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.
20th lowest home value out of 33 New Mexico counties with data | 10th lowest rent out of 33
Median home value
$171,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$740/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$397/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
17.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$343/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $59,046 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower rent
$740/mo is 9% below New Mexico county median
Rent burden below pressure line
17.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $343/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$46,439 median income is 10% below New Mexico county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. 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.
Wide home-value margin
The ACS margin of error on home value is $59,046, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
Best Fit For
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Households weighing ownership against renting
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Catron 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. | $171,800 | $160,800 | $281,900 | 7% pressure7% above New Mexico county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $740 | $810 | $1,163 | 9% favorable9% below New Mexico county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $397 | $628 | $1,672 | 37% favorable37% below New Mexico county median |
Median household income | $46,439 | $51,765 | $74,755 | 10% pressure10% below New Mexico county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.34% | 0.55% | 1.02% | 39% favorable39% below New Mexico county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 17.00% | 29.00% | N/A | 41% favorable17.00% 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
+$16,839
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$29,425
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Catron County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $740/month , about 19.1% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
At $740/month rent versus $397/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $343/month cheaper , a 46% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,600/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $17,014/year. With a median household income of $46,439, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 17.0% of renter households in Catron County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Catron County sits 8% more expensive than Luna County ($685/month) in terms of median gross rent.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Miguel County, NM | $177,600 | $774/mo | Same-state comparison near $177,600 home value and $774/mo rent. |
| Grant County, NM | $164,400 | $810/mo | Same-state comparison near $164,400 home value and $810/mo rent. |
| De Baca County, NM | $158,000 | $727/mo | Same-state comparison near $158,000 home value and $727/mo rent. |
| Colfax County, NM | $161,000 | $704/mo | Same-state comparison near $161,000 home value and $704/mo rent. |
| Torrance County, NM | $145,100 | $845/mo | Same-state comparison near $145,100 home value and $845/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $59,046 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Catron County
Is Catron County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Catron County?
How much income do you need for housing in Catron County?
What should I double-check before moving to Catron County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.