© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Gallup.
About
Life in Gallup
Living in Gallup means settling into a place with real character—a genuinely affordable city where Native American culture (Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, and others) shapes daily life in visible, meaningful ways, from downtown murals to summer powwows and art crawls. With a median home price around $165,200 and rent averaging $927 a month, your money stretches further here than in most of the Mountain West, though the trade-off is a median household income of $58,303 and a job market that leans toward government, retail, and service work—not a lot of tech or high-growth sectors. The city sits in a cool semiarid climate at elevation, so summers stay hot during the day but cool at night, and winters bring real snow (sometimes heavy), though it doesn't stick around long thanks to the intense sun; most rain arrives as afternoon thunderstorms in summer.
Gallup at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
26.8%
Foreign-Born
5.6%
Broadband Internet
87.4%
of households
Population Growth
-8.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Gallup: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Gallup, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (30.3%), and 19.7% of residents speak Other at home.
Under 18
30.4%
of residents
65 and Older
14.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
40.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.5%
of households
Married Couples
27.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.94
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 13% below NM average
Rent, home values, and income in Gallup
In Gallup, rent runs 13% below the NM average, and home values are 33% below the NM average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
42.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.2%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,696
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
52.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1977
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $216,668 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.4 pts above NM average
Unemployment in Gallup
Unemployment in McKinley County, which includes Gallup, is 1.4 percentage points higher than the NM average.
Unemployment rate
Gallup: McKinley County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
McKinley County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Gallup Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.5 min avg
How Gallup residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Gallup, most residents drive alone to work (84%), and 78% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Gallup Municipal Airport (GUP)
Regional airport · few flights3,923 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 292% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Gallup runs 292% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
1,290.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
4,287.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Gallup Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 23 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
78.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
McKinley County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In McKinley County, which includes Gallup, the most common type is drought, with 23 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23 | Drought | $10,000 |
| 2024 | 24 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 27 | Drought | None reported |
| 2022 | 42 | Drought | $110,000 |
| 2021 | 26 | Drought | $150,000 |
| 2020 | 23 | Drought | Not estimated |
| 2019 | 8 | Drought | None reported |
| 2018 | 3 | Flash Flood | $5,000 |
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.
12 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
McKinley County, county-wide
Air Quality33 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Apache County, AZ (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 43 miles from Gallup) is typically good — 313 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
33
Good Days
313
per year
Moderate Days
50
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Apache County, AZ (43 mi away)
Climate85°F summers, 18°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Gallup has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and very cold winters (avg low 18°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
65°/32°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/54°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/35°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
45°/18°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
14.1"
Annual Snowfall
20.6"
Hot Days/Year
29
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
166
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
68
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 16°F | 0.91" |
| Feb | 48°F | 20°F | 0.86" |
| Mar | 57°F | 24°F | 0.85" |
| Apr | 65°F | 32°F | 0.60" |
| May | 74°F | 40°F | 0.66" |
| Jun | 85°F | 49°F | 0.34" |
| Jul | 87°F | 57°F | 2.02" |
| Aug | 84°F | 55°F | 2.36" |
| Sep | 79°F | 47°F | 1.22" |
| Oct | 68°F | 34°F | 1.06" |
| Nov | 55°F | 24°F | 0.77" |
| Dec | 44°F | 16°F | 0.87" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Gallup
Gallup has 2 hospitals, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
10.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Gallup Indian Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Rehoboth Mckinley Christian Health Care Services
Critical Access 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.
Education18.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Gallup
Gallup's student/teacher ratio is 18.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 23.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
18
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
23.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Gallup
University of New Mexico-Gallup Campus
Public · 2-year · 808 students · in-state tuition $2,906 · 28% graduate · median earnings $50,072 (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: El Morro National Monument, 40 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Gallup
Gallup has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being El Morro National Monument (40 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
El Morro National Monument
National Monument
40 mi awayHubbell Trading Post National Historic Site
National Historic Site
48 mi awayCanyon de Chelly National Monument
National Monument
55 mi awayChaco Culture National Historical Park
National Historical Park
57 mi awayEl Malpais National Monument
National Monument
61 mi awayPetrified Forest National Park
National Park
70 mi awayAztec Ruins National Monument
National Monument
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Gallup
Octavia Fellin Public Library
115 West Hill Avenue, Gallup
Octavia Fellin Public Children`S Library
200 W. Aztec, Gallup
Cities Near Gallup
The closest cities within 60 miles
No other cities we cover are within 60 miles of Gallup.
Planning a move to Gallup?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Gallup FAQ
Is Gallup, New Mexico affordable?⌄
Gallup's median rent is $927/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $58,303/year. Median home value is $165,200.
Is Gallup, New Mexico safe?⌄
Gallup's violent crime rate was 1291 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 4287 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Gallup, New Mexico?⌄
McKinley County, which includes Gallup, has an unemployment rate of 5.6%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Gallup, New Mexico?⌄
The cost of living in Gallup is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $927/month and median household income is $58,303/year. The median home value is $165,200. About 43% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Gallup, New Mexico?⌄
The average commute in Gallup is 21 minutes, which is shorter than 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