Sandoval County vs Santa Fe County
Sandoval County, New Mexico versus Santa Fe County, New Mexico: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Sandoval County and Santa Fe County score about the same overall (40 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Sandoval County | Santa Fe County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $76k | $71k |
| Cost of Living | $52k | $53k |
| Home Value | $258k | $374k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.79% | 0.51% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 7.62% | 7.62% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.09% | 11.14% |
| Unemployment | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 28°F | 31°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 68°F | 71°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.1 in | 13.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 20.4 in | 24.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 291 days | 317 days |
| Summer Humidity | 44°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 30 days | 41 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 77.0 | 86.0 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 47.9 | 51.7 |
| Violent Crime | 967/100k | 1964/100k |
| Property Crime | 1239/100k | 3480/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 149,460 | 154,481 |
| Median Age | 40.8 | 47.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.59 | 0.51 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+55 |
| White (%) | 41.4% | 42.0% |
| Black (%) | 2.1% | 0.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 40.6% | 50.8% |
| Asian (%) | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 14.5% | 5.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 8.1/20 | 9.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 50 mi | 49 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.2% | 85.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 0.52 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Sandoval County or Santa Fe County more affordable?
- Sandoval County has the lower cost of living: its index is $52k, compared with Sandoval County's $52k and Santa Fe County's $53k. Median rent is $1k in Sandoval County versus $1k in Santa Fe County.
- Is Sandoval County or Santa Fe County safer?
- Sandoval County has the lower violent crime rate. Sandoval County reports 967/100k and Santa Fe County reports 1964/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Sandoval County or Santa Fe County?
- The median home value is $258k in Sandoval County and $374k in Santa Fe County, so homes are more affordable in Sandoval County.