New Mexico · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Catron County, NM

Prices around Catron County, NM run 7.8% below the U.S. average (BEA, New Mexico). The typical household there earns $49,864 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,040 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $41,600 a year.

Catron County, NM at a glance

Median household income

$49,864$4,155 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,040HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)92.2-7.8% · BEA, New Mexico
Electricity15.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential NM
Population3,743Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Catron County, NM?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,040Monthly market rent
Share of gross income25%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$41,600To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,247At 30% of $49,864
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Catron County, NM? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Catron County, NM, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Catron County, NM, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$773$9,276$30,92018.6%
1-Bedroom Apartment$853$10,236$34,12020.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,040$12,480$41,60025%
3-Bedroom Home$1,424$17,088$56,96034.3%
4-Bedroom Home$1,677$20,124$67,08040.4%

Rent in Catron County, NM, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Catron County, NM

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $49,864 a year ($4,155 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,078/moRent ($1,040 2-BR), utilities (~$136/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,247/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$831/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $49,864 leaves after New Mexico taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and New Mexico tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$49,864
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$49,864
Net 82%
Fed 8%
NM 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$41,051After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,421Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,579Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,804 / yr
New Mexico state income tax$1,194 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,815 / yr

Living in Catron County, NM: common questions

What is the median household income in Catron County, NM?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Catron County, NM is $49,864 per year (approximately $4,155 per month).

What is the average rent in Catron County, NM?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $773 for a studio, $853 for one bedroom, $1,040 for two, $1,424 for three and $1,677 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Catron County, NM expensive to live in?

Prices there run 7.8% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for New Mexico is 92.2, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Catron County, NM?

To keep a $1,040 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $41,600 a year, or $3,467 a month. That is 83% of what the typical household in Catron County, NM earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Catron County, NM?

On the local median income of $49,864 ($4,155 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,078 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,247 for everything else and $831 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,040 takes 50% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Catron County, NM?

Homes in New Mexico paid 15.1¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $136. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.