Rio Arriba County, NM

This county of 39,761 residents needs 459 more housing units over the next five years.

Housing snapshot

Population
39,761 (2026)
Households
15,614
Median household income
$65,145 (2026)
Typical home value
$353,768
Owner-occupied
63%
Five-year housing need
459 units

Comparison to other New Mexico counties

Rio Arriba County: $65,145 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$41K >$83K
Rio Arriba County: 0.52 jobs to household ratio
<0.34 >1.38
Rio Arriba County: No permit data
<0% >7.2%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

The typical home in Rio Arriba County, NM is valued at $353,768, well above the New Mexico average of $221,231. At a median household income of $65,145 in Rio Arriba County, NM, affordability is stretched, with households needing roughly $15,384 more to comfortably afford the typical home.

This chart tracks whether housing prices are keeping pace with local incomes. The gap between what homes cost and what households can afford reveals affordability trends over time.

How is the population changing?

Rio Arriba County, NM has a population of roughly 40,070 that has been largely stable in recent years.

Population growth patterns reveal how communities are evolving. This chart shows historical population changes by age group and projects future trends based on demographic patterns.

How has employment changed over time?

Jobs by industry sector since 2012. Switch between local jobs — counted where the jobs are located — and resident jobs, counted where the workers live. On the local view the most recent year is a nowcast: it grows the latest local LODES job mix forward using recent county employment growth from QCEW and the BLS local employment series, so the newest point tracks today's economy instead of data that is roughly two years old.

How are households changing by income?

Rio Arriba County, NM has roughly 15,614 households and a population that has been largely stable in recent years.

Understanding how households at different income levels are growing or declining helps identify which groups face the greatest housing pressure and where new housing is most needed.

Who lives here today?

In Rio Arriba County, NM, detached single-family accounts for 59% of the housing stock. Homeownership is the norm in Rio Arriba County, NM, with 63% of units owner-occupied.

Households may have different structure type preferences depending on characteristics such as household size, income, employment, presence of children, age of individuals, and lifestyle choices. Understanding the housing stock in corresponding terms helps assess how well existing units align with existing households' ideals.

What does the housing stock look like?

The mix of housing types and ownership patterns shapes a community's character. This chart breaks down housing units by structure type and whether they're owner-occupied or rented.

How much new housing supply is needed?

To keep up with growth and fill current housing shortages, Rio Arriba County, NM needs 459 new units over the next 5 years.

459
Units to address shortages in existing housing stock
Production needs to address vacancy rates and other factors.
125
Replacement housing
Effective annual loss rate is 1.3 per 1,000 units.
76
Ownership vacancy adjustment
Owner-occupied vacancy is 0.9%. This is below the minimum stable target of 1.5%.
81
Rental vacancy adjustment
Rental vacancy is 5.2%. This is below the minimum stable target of 7.4%.
177
Substandard housing adjustment
Substandard housing rate is 2.11%. This is above National avg. of 0.98%.
459
Total 5-year housing production need (2026-2031)
92
Annual production pace
Average units needed per year to meet 5-year need
2.3%
Total housing unit growth
Percent increase in housing stock over 5 years
0.5%
Annual housing unit growth
Average percent increase in housing stock per year

How do these communities compare to each other?