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Moving to
Los Alamos.
Los Alamos is an unincorporated community in Los Alamos County, NM. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
What it's like to live in Los Alamos
Los Alamos is an unincorporated community in New Mexico with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Los Alamos deals with home prices well above the national average, cold winters, snowy winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
The not so good
- High home prices
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 42" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Los Alamos compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Los Alamos
Based on Los Alamos's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,718
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $54,360 a year
- 29% of Los Alamos renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$100,360
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $50,180
- Homes cost 3.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,359/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,359 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are steep, with a median around $501,800. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $501,800 · 29% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
1.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Los Alamos County is 1.8%, well below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Los Alamos County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 81% below US
61 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 300/100k · Los Alamos Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 52% below US
12 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 12.4 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 17% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 22°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 94% above US
70% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, 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 Manhattan Project National Historical Park (0 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Los Alamos's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,359/mo) equals 12% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (17% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near Los Alamos
All New Mexico guides →Moving to Santa Fe →
23 mi away · pop. 89,019
Rent $1,463/mo · Income $73,482
Compare with Los Alamos →Moving to Rio Rancho →
47 mi away · pop. 108,515
Rent $1,514/mo · Income $89,596
Compare with Los Alamos →Not sure Los Alamos is the one?
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