Albuquerque NM
New Mexico · Pop. 562,218
Albuquerque, NM: median household income of $68,317, median rent of $1,145/mo, 5.4% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$68,317
per year
Median Rent
$1,145
per month
Median Home
$292k
home value
Unemployment
5.4%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
15.5%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
22 min
one way
City Reality Check balanced
"Albuquerque, NM Reality Check"
In Albuquerque, the rent-to-income burden runs around 20% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $68,317 and median rent is $1,145/month. 50% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $291,500 — that's 4.3× the median income. 62% of households own their home — unusually high for a major US city. Residents put down roots here. Employment picture: 5.39% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 15.5%. Average commute: 22 minutes — acceptable. Violent crime: 115.1/100k avg monthly rate (31052 reported); Property crime: 417.2/100k avg monthly rate (112563 reported). Albuquerque was founded in 1706 — that's 320 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 190.0 sq miles at 2,960 people/sq mile — spread out. Elevation: 5,312 ft — mile-high altitude territory. Known as: "Burque | The Duke City". Albuquerque has 11 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 66/100 — It Depends.
Local Context
Weather
/100Average high 71.5°F, low 47°F. 72 days per year above 90°F. 9.1 inches of annual precipitation.
Safety
/100Violent crime: 115.1/100k avg monthly rate (31052 reported); Property crime: 417.2/100k avg monthly rate (112563 reported).