Santa Fe County, NM

This county of 157,267 residents needs 3,087 more housing units over the next five years. Santa Fe County is part of the Santa Fe MPO.

Housing snapshot

Population
157,267 (2026)
Households
71,418
Median household income
$88,703 (2026)
Typical home value
$567,930
Owner-occupied
64%
Five-year housing need
3,087 units

Comparison to other New Mexico counties

Santa Fe County: $88,703 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$41K >$83K
Santa Fe County: 0.89 jobs to household ratio
<0.34 >1.38
Santa Fe County: Permits since 2021 represent 3.9% of housing
<0% >7.2%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

The typical home in Santa Fe County, NM is valued at $567,930, well above the New Mexico average of $221,231. Santa Fe County, NM's median household income of $88,703 falls well short of what is needed to afford the typical home, leaving a gap of about $42,653.

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?

Santa Fe County, NM has a population of roughly 156,105, growing modestly at 0.5% per year.

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?

With roughly 71,418 households, Santa Fe County, NM is growing modestly at 0.5% per year.

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 Santa Fe County, NM, detached single-family accounts for 63% of the housing stock. Homeownership is the norm in Santa Fe County, NM, with 64% 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, Santa Fe County, NM needs 3,087 new units over the next 5 years.

1,577
Units needed to keep up with expected growth
Projected total household growth from 2026 to 2031.
2.2%
Projected household growth rate
Expected increase in total households from 71,418 in 2026 to 72,995 in 2031.
1,510
Units to address shortages in existing housing stock
Production needs to address vacancy rates and other factors.
328
Replacement housing
Effective annual loss rate is 0.8 per 1,000 units.
522
Ownership vacancy adjustment
Owner-occupied vacancy is 0.5%. This is below the minimum stable target of 1.5%.
660
Rental vacancy adjustment
Rental vacancy is 4.6%. This is below the minimum stable target of 7.4%.
3,087
Total 5-year housing production need (2026-2031)
617
Annual production pace
Average units needed per year to meet 5-year need
3.9%
Total housing unit growth
Percent increase in housing stock over 5 years
0.8%
Annual housing unit growth
Average percent increase in housing stock per year

How do these communities compare to each other?