Your life in Sandoval County, New Mexico

What stands out

What stands out about Sandoval County: rainfall is in the bottom 2% of American counties (11 inches a year), the restaurant count per person is in the bottom 6% of American counties (0.3 per 1,000), and winter sunshine is in the top 8% of American counties (1.5 on the USDA scale). Within New Mexico it ranks 13th of 33 counties for rainfall, counting from the bottom.

Where you are

You live in Sandoval County, New Mexico. 149,460 people live here with you. The population grew 1.5% last year, and more Americans moved in than out (net +2,280).

New Mexico taxes Social Security only above $100,000 of income for single filers and $150,000 for joint filers, exempts military retirement, and has a graduated income tax with a 5.9% top rate. Home prices are low outside Santa Fe, where they are among the highest in the Mountain West. The state's oil production in the Permian Basin funds a large share of the budget and a permanent fund.

Money

The typical household here brings in $76,424 a year, higher than 84% of American counties. Employers pay an average wage of $60,474. Unemployment runs 3.8%, higher than 63% of American counties. 13% of workers work from home; for the rest the average commute is 25 minutes each way.

New Mexico takes 4.2% of that median income in state income tax, about $3,203 a year.

Home

The median home costs $378K, pricier than 83% of American counties, about 3.0 years of the median household's income. A two-bedroom rents for around $1,119 a month. Property tax is 0.79% of home value, roughly $2,042 a year on that median home, lower than 56% of American counties. 81% of households own rather than rent.

Safety and health

Violent crime here is 3.3 per 1,000 residents, lower than 77% of American counties. Drug overdoses killed 17 people per 100,000 in 2024.

A child born here can expect to live 77.3 years, longer than 68% of American counties. There are 272 active physicians in the county, about 18.2 per 10,000 people. 10.4% of people under 65 have no health insurance.

School

Local students test at grade level 2.83 where 3.0 is national grade level, lower than 70% of American counties. 92% of adults finished high school.

Neighbors and politics

In 2024 your neighbors voted Democratic by 8 points. 70% of eligible voters turned out. Under New Mexico law you can get a concealed-carry permit on request, abortion is protected by state law, and marijuana is legal for adults.

Weather and risk

The year averages 53°F, highs near 68 and lows near 37, colder than 63% of American counties. About 11 inches of rain and snow fall a year. FEMA puts natural-hazard risk at 79 out of 100, riskier than 79% of American counties; the county has had 21 federal disaster declarations since 1953.

Getting around, going out

Home internet averages 227 Mbps down, faster than 62% of American counties. There is 1 airport in the county, counting general aviation. For a night or a weekend out: 0.3 full-service restaurants per 1,000 people, 4 breweries, 2 National Park Service sites.

Where these numbers come from

• BLS QCEW 2024
• CDC 2024
• CMS 2024
• Census 2023
• Census ACS
• Census ACS 2022
• Census Population Estimates 2023
• Census SAHIE 2024
• County Health Rankings 2024
• Derived from ACS 2022 home value / household income
• FAA Airport Database
• FEMA Disaster Declarations 1953–2026
• FEMA National Risk Index 2023 (0–100, all hazards)
• HRSA Area Health Resources File 2023
• IMLS
• NOAA Climate Normals
• National Park Service
• Ookla Speedtest Intelligence
• Open Brewery DB
• OpenElections 2024
• SEDA via County Health Rankings 2024 (3.0 = at grade level; not a Z-score)
• Tax Foundation 2023
• USDA Food Environment Atlas
• Zillow ZHVI 2024
• New Mexico tax and law data: state revenue department, Tax Foundation, Giffords, Guttmacher (2026)

Percentiles compare this county with every other county that reports the same figure. Missing figures are left out rather than guessed. Share this page: the address is permanent.