Housing decision brief
Santa Fe County, NM Housing Market
Santa Fe County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
32nd lowest home value out of 33 New Mexico counties with data | 32nd lowest rent out of 33
Median home value
$416,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,318/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,183/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
5.6x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
29.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$135/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
29.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $135/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
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.
Best Fit For
- Households weighing ownership against renting
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 Santa Fe 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. | $416,900 | $160,800 | $281,900 | 159% pressure159% above New Mexico county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,318 | $810 | $1,163 | 63% pressure63% above New Mexico county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,183 | $628 | $1,672 | 88% pressure88% above New Mexico county median |
Median household income | $74,689 | $51,765 | $74,755 | 44% favorable44% above New Mexico county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.51% | 0.55% | 1.02% | 8% favorable8% below New Mexico county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 29.00% | 29.00% | N/A | Near state median29.00% 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
+$21,969
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$23,989
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Santa Fe County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $1,318/month , about 21.2% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Santa Fe County is $1,318/month, while owner costs run $1,183/month. Owning saves approximately $135/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $52,720/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $50,700/year. With a median household income of $74,689, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 29.0% of renter households in Santa Fe County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Santa Fe County sits 6% less expensive than Sandoval County ($1,408/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sutter County, CA | $399,400 | $1,364/mo | Out-of-state peer near $399,400 home value and $1,364/mo rent. |
| Jackson County, OR | $400,200 | $1,310/mo | Out-of-state peer near $400,200 home value and $1,310/mo rent. |
| Marion County, OR | $383,300 | $1,333/mo | Out-of-state peer near $383,300 home value and $1,333/mo rent. |
| Dare County, NC | $425,400 | $1,307/mo | Out-of-state peer near $425,400 home value and $1,307/mo rent. |
| Tuolumne County, CA | $406,200 | $1,247/mo | Out-of-state peer near $406,200 home value and $1,247/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Santa Fe County
Is Santa Fe County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Santa Fe County?
How much income do you need for housing in Santa Fe County?
What should I double-check before moving to Santa Fe County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.