What it's like to live in Albuquerque
Albuquerque is a major city in New Mexico with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Albuquerque deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and hospital ratings below the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- Below-average hospital ratings
- Cold winters
- Hot summers
How Albuquerque compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Albuquerque
Based on Albuquerque's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,290
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $45,800 a year
- 50% of Albuquerque renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$58,300
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $29,150
- Homes cost 4.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 19% below US
$1,145/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,145 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $291,500. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $291,500 · 50% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
3.9% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.9%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 211% above US
1024 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 4044/100k · Albuquerque Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 14% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
8 hospitals
There are 8 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.8 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
39% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 39% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
166 public schools inside the boundary
There are 166 public schools inside the boundary and 46 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Petroglyph National Monument (6 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Albuquerque's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,145/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and remote workers (15% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Albuquerque
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