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Living in
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.
About
Life in Los Alamos
Los Alamos is a community of 13,471 people in New Mexico. The median household income is $141,018, median rent runs about $1,359 per month, and median home values are around $501,800. Unemployment is low at 1.8%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Los Alamos at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.1%
Foreign-Born
11.5%
Broadband Internet
94.5%
of households
Population Growth
+6.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.5% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Los Alamos: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Los Alamos, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (23.0%), and 6.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.2%
of residents
65 and Older
17.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.9%
of households
Married Couples
49.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.21
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 27% above NM average
Rent, home values, and income in Los Alamos
In Los Alamos, rent runs 27% above the NM average, and home values are 102% above the NM average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
29.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
2.2%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,749
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
66.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1975
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $579,259 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2.4 pts below NM average
Unemployment in Los Alamos
Unemployment in Los Alamos County, which includes Los Alamos, is 2.4 percentage points lower than the NM average.
Unemployment rate
Los Alamos: Los Alamos County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Los Alamos County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Los Alamos Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute12.4 min avg
How Los Alamos residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Los Alamos, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 96% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 22 mi
Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF)
Regional airport · few flights204k passengers boarded in 2025
- 61 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 81% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Los Alamos runs 81% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
61
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
300.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Los Alamos Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
3.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Los Alamos County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Los Alamos County, which includes Los Alamos, the most common type is drought, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Drought | None reported |
| 2024 | 17 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2023 | 17 | Heavy Snow | Not estimated |
| 2022 | 18 | Drought | Not estimated |
| 2021 | 19 | Drought | Not estimated |
| 2020 | 14 | Drought | None reported |
| 2019 | 2 | Heavy Snow | Not estimated |
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.
25 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Los Alamos County, county-wide
Air Quality13 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Los Alamos County, which includes Los Alamos, is typically good.
Median AQI
13
Los Alamos County, county-wide
Climate81°F summers, 22°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Los Alamos has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and cold winters (avg low 22°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
62°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/55°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/39°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/22°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
17.5"
Annual Snowfall
42.1"
Hot Days/Year
5
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
150
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
90
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 21°F | 0.90" |
| Feb | 45°F | 24°F | 0.72" |
| Mar | 53°F | 30°F | 1.04" |
| Apr | 61°F | 35°F | 0.93" |
| May | 70°F | 44°F | 1.17" |
| Jun | 81°F | 54°F | 1.17" |
| Jul | 83°F | 57°F | 2.94" |
| Aug | 80°F | 55°F | 3.20" |
| Sep | 74°F | 49°F | 2.02" |
| Oct | 63°F | 38°F | 1.58" |
| Nov | 50°F | 28°F | 0.95" |
| Dec | 40°F | 21°F | 0.87" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Los Alamos
Los Alamos has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.4%
of residents
Los Alamos Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Presbyterian Espanola Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.3 mi away · Espanola
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.
Education13.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Los Alamos
Los Alamos's student/teacher ratio is 13.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 69.8% 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
69.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Los Alamos
University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus
Public · 2-year · 218 students · in-state tuition $2,214 · 26% graduate · median earnings $50,072 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
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, 0 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Los Alamos
Los Alamos has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Manhattan Project National Historical Park (0 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Manhattan Project National Historical Park
National Historical Park
0 mi awayBandelier National Monument
National Monument
7 mi awayValles Caldera National Preserve
National Preserve
13 mi awayPecos National Historical Park
National Historical Park
42 mi awayPetroglyph National Monument
National Monument
57 mi awayFort Union National Monument
National Monument
72 mi awayChaco Culture National Historical Park
National Historical Park
93 mi awayPublic Libraries in Los Alamos
Mesa Public Library
2400 Central Avenue, Los Alamos
Cities Near Los Alamos
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Los Alamos?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Los Alamos FAQ
Is Los Alamos, New Mexico affordable?⌄
Los Alamos's median rent is $1,359/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $141,018/year. Median home value is $501,800.
Is Los Alamos, New Mexico safe?⌄
Los Alamos's violent crime rate was 61 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 300 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Los Alamos, New Mexico?⌄
Los Alamos County, which includes Los Alamos, has an unemployment rate of 1.8%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Los Alamos, New Mexico?⌄
The cost of living in Los Alamos is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,359/month and median household income is $141,018/year. The median home value is $501,800. About 29% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Los Alamos, New Mexico?⌄
The average commute in Los Alamos is 12 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