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Living in
Española.
About
Life in Española
Española is a community of 10,472 people in New Mexico. The median household income is $47,664, median rent runs about $832 per month, and median home values are around $210,800. The unemployment rate is 4.1%.
Española at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.4%
Foreign-Born
14.2%
Broadband Internet
71.8%
of households
Population Growth
-0.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Española: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Española, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (75.7%), and 55.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.5%
of residents
65 and Older
18.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.7%
of households
Married Couples
33.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.52
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 22% below NM average
Rent, home values, and income in Española
In Española, rent runs 22% below the NM average, and home values are 15% below the NM average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.0%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,032
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
65.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
14.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $342,873 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for NM
Unemployment in Española
Unemployment in Rio Arriba County, which includes Española, is close to the NM average.
Unemployment rate
Española: Rio Arriba County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Rio Arriba County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Española Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute30.8 min avg
How Española residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Española, most residents drive alone to work (86%), and 44% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 26 mi
Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF)
Regional airport · few flights204k passengers boarded in 2025
- 72 mi
Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ)
Medium hub2.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 49% below national average
Crime rates for 2018
Older dataThe latest complete year reported to the FBI is 2018. It's compared with the national rate for 2018.
Violent crime in the area policed by the Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Office, which covers Española, runs 49% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
194.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (385 national, 2018)
Property Crime Rate
627.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (2,207 national, 2018)
Policed by Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 24 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
80.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Rio Arriba County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Rio Arriba County, which includes Española, the most common type is drought, with 24 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | Drought | None reported |
| 2024 | 30 | Heavy Snow | $600,000 |
| 2023 | 31 | Heavy Snow | $300,000 |
| 2022 | 32 | Drought | $10,000 |
| 2021 | 30 | Drought | $30,000 |
| 2020 | 24 | Drought | None reported |
| 2019 | 11 | Heavy Snow | $10,000 |
| 2018 | 2 | Hail | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
36 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Rio Arriba County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Rio Arriba County, which includes Española, is typically good — 306 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
306
per year
Moderate Days
53
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Rio Arriba County, county-wide
Climate87°F summers, 17°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Española has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and very cold winters (avg low 17°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
68°/32°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/52°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/33°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
47°/17°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
10.8"
Annual Snowfall
10.7"
Hot Days/Year
51
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
174
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
65
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 15°F | 0.51" |
| Feb | 51°F | 20°F | 0.39" |
| Mar | 60°F | 25°F | 0.69" |
| Apr | 67°F | 32°F | 0.70" |
| May | 76°F | 40°F | 0.78" |
| Jun | 86°F | 48°F | 0.78" |
| Jul | 88°F | 55°F | 1.65" |
| Aug | 86°F | 54°F | 1.75" |
| Sep | 80°F | 45°F | 1.25" |
| Oct | 69°F | 32°F | 1.14" |
| Nov | 55°F | 22°F | 0.73" |
| Dec | 45°F | 15°F | 0.73" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Española
Española has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
12.0%
of residents
Presbyterian Espanola Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Española
Española's student/teacher ratio is 15.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 18.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
18.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Española
Public · 2-year · 926 students · in-state tuition $6,400 · 33% graduate · median earnings $43,665 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Manhattan Project National Historical Park, 16 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Española
Española has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Manhattan Project National Historical Park (16 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Manhattan Project National Historical Park
National Historical Park
16 mi awayBandelier National Monument
National Monument
21 mi awayValles Caldera National Preserve
National Preserve
26 mi awayPecos National Historical Park
National Historical Park
39 mi awayFort Union National Monument
National Monument
59 mi awayPetroglyph National Monument
National Monument
71 mi awayPublic Libraries in Española
Espanola Public Library
313 North Paseo De Onate, Espanola
Cities Near Española
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Española?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Española FAQ
Is Española, New Mexico affordable?⌄
Española's median rent is $829/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $47,667/year. Median home value is $210,800.
Is Española, New Mexico safe?⌄
Española is policed by the Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 195 per 100,000 residents in 2018, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 385/100k that year. Property crime rate is 627 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Española, New Mexico?⌄
Rio Arriba County, which includes Española, has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Española, New Mexico?⌄
The cost of living in Española is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $829/month and median household income is $47,667/year. The median home value is $210,800. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Española, New Mexico?⌄
The average commute in Española is 31 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from