Albuquerque vs Yakima
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $291,500 in Albuquerque and $297,600 in Yakima.
- Households earn more in Albuquerque ($68,317 vs $62,815 median).
- Albuquerque has the warmer winter: January highs of 48°F vs 40°F.
- Yakima gets far more snow: 20 inches a year vs 8.
- Albuquerque has more scorching days: 64 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 40.
- Commutes are shorter in Yakima (18 vs 22 minutes each way).
- Washington has no state income tax on wages; New Mexico's top rate is 5.9%.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Yakima, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 556,588 | 97,458 |
| Growth since 2020 | -1.4% | +0.5% |
| People per square mile | 2,972 | 3,470 |
| Median age | 38.8 | 34.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39% | 21% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $68,317 | $62,815 |
| Median home value | $291,500 | $297,600 |
| Home value to income | 4.3× | 4.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,145 | $1,117 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 95.5 | 95.5 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 89.2 | 72.6 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $71,700 | $71,700 |
| Homeowners | 62% | 54% |
| Top state income tax | 5.9% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 7.68% | 9.57% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.4 | 17.8 |
| Work from home | 15% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.4% | 8.4% |
| Poverty rate | 15.5% | 16.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 48° / 26° | 40° / 24° |
| July high / low | 91° / 67° | 90° / 55° |
| Precipitation per year | 9 in | 8 in |
| Snowfall per year | 8 in | 20 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 64 | 40 |
| Nights below freezing | 93 | 147 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 94.4 | 94.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 25% | 62% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.2% | +2.4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +44.6% | +34.3% |
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. Yakima: May to June and September.
Full monthly tables: Albuquerque weather by month and Yakima 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 $71,700 in Yakima. Moving from Albuquerque to Yakima, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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