New Mexico · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Sandoval County, NM

Prices around Sandoval County, NM run 4.5% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $86,636 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,464 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $58,560 a year.

Sandoval County, NM at a glance

Median household income

$86,636$7,220 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,464HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)95.5-4.5% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential NM
Population153,604Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Sandoval 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$1,464Monthly market rent
Share of gross income20.3%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$58,560To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,166At 30% of $86,636
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Sandoval County, NM, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,009$12,108$40,36014%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,185$14,220$47,40016.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,464$17,568$58,56020.3%
3-Bedroom Home$2,036$24,432$81,44028.2%
4-Bedroom Home$2,399$28,788$95,96033.2%

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

What a typical income covers in Sandoval County, NM

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $86,636 a year ($7,220 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,610/moRent ($1,464 2-BR), utilities (~$136/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,166/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,444/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $86,636 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.

$86,636
$30,000$175,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$86,636
Net 77%
Fed 12%
NM 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$66,847After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,571Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,571Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$10,230 / yr
New Mexico state income tax$2,931 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,628 / yr

Living in Sandoval County, NM: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Sandoval County, NM is $86,636 per year (approximately $7,220 per month).

What is the average rent in Sandoval County, NM?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,009 for a studio, $1,185 for one bedroom, $1,464 for two, $2,036 for three and $2,399 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 Sandoval County, NM expensive to live in?

Prices there run 4.5% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 95.5, 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 Sandoval County, NM?

To keep a $1,464 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $58,560 a year, or $4,880 a month. That is 68% of what the typical household in Sandoval County, NM earns.

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

On the local median income of $86,636 ($7,220 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,610 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,166 for everything else and $1,444 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,464 takes 41% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Sandoval 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.