Santa Fe vs Sparks
The short version
- Santa Fe is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 2% lower than in the Sparks area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $444,900 in Santa Fe and $483,800 in Sparks.
- Households earn more in Sparks ($89,056 vs $73,482 median).
- Sparks has the warmer winter: January highs of 48°F vs 43°F.
- Sparks has more scorching days: 65 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 24.
- Commutes are shorter in Santa Fe (21 vs 24 minutes each way).
- Nevada has no state income tax on wages; New Mexico's top rate is 5.9%.
Side by side
| Santa Fe, NM | Sparks, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 89,837 | 111,902 |
| Growth since 2020 | +2.7% | +3.2% |
| People per square mile | 1,720 | 3,066 |
| Median age | 46.3 | 37.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48% | 28% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $73,482 | $89,056 |
| Median home value | $444,900 | $483,800 |
| Home value to income | 6.1× | 5.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,463 | $1,716 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 98.8 | 101.0 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 108.0 | 123.5 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $74,100 | $75,800 |
| Homeowners | 64% | 60% |
| Top state income tax | 5.9% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 7.68% | 8.24% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 21.0 | 24.0 |
| Work from home | 17% | 11% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 8.5% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 43° / 18° | 48° / 26° |
| July high / low | 86° / 55° | 94° / 60° |
| Precipitation per year | 13 in | 7 in |
| Snowfall per year | 20 in | 21 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 24 | 65 |
| Nights below freezing | 168 | 122 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 86.0 | 96.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 78% | 50% |
| Home prices, past year | +4% | +3.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +42% | +30.3% |
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: Santa Fe: June to September. Sparks: May to June and September.
Full monthly tables: Santa Fe weather by month and Sparks weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $74,100 in Santa Fe and $75,800 in Sparks. Moving from Santa Fe to Sparks, you would need about $76,700 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.