Albuquerque vs Santa Fe
The short version
- Albuquerque is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 3% lower than in the Santa Fe area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $291,500 in Albuquerque and $444,900 in Santa Fe.
- Households earn more in Santa Fe ($73,482 vs $68,317 median).
- Albuquerque has the warmer winter: January highs of 48°F vs 43°F.
- Santa Fe gets far more snow: 20 inches a year vs 8.
- Albuquerque has more scorching days: 64 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 24.
- Santa Fe is growing faster: +2.7% since 2020 vs -1.4%.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Santa Fe, NM | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 556,588 | 89,837 |
| Growth since 2020 | -1.4% | +2.7% |
| People per square mile | 2,972 | 1,720 |
| Median age | 38.8 | 46.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39% | 48% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $68,317 | $73,482 |
| Median home value | $291,500 | $444,900 |
| Home value to income | 4.3× | 6.1× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,145 | $1,463 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 95.5 | 98.8 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 89.2 | 108.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $71,700 | $74,100 |
| Homeowners | 62% | 64% |
| Top state income tax | 5.9% | 5.9% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.68% | 7.68% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.4 | 21.0 |
| Work from home | 15% | 17% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.4% | 5.1% |
| Poverty rate | 15.5% | 12.9% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 48° / 26° | 43° / 18° |
| July high / low | 91° / 67° | 86° / 55° |
| Precipitation per year | 9 in | 13 in |
| Snowfall per year | 8 in | 20 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 64 | 24 |
| Nights below freezing | 93 | 168 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 94.4 | 86.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 25% | 78% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.2% | +4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +44.6% | +42% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Albuquerque: April to May and September to October. Santa Fe: June to September.
Full monthly tables: Albuquerque weather by month and Santa Fe weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $71,700 in Albuquerque and $74,100 in Santa Fe. Moving from Albuquerque to Santa Fe, you would need about $77,500 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Albuquerque and Santa Fe
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.