Albuquerque vs South Valley
Albuquerque, New Mexico versus South Valley, New Mexico: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Albuquerque and South Valley score about the same overall (48 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Albuquerque | South Valley |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $62k | $45k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $44k |
| Home Value | $246k | $184k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $873 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.02% | 0.78% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 7.62% | 7.62% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.49% | 11.62% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 37°F | 37°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.4 in | 9.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 7.9 in | 6.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 291 days | 291 days |
| Summer Humidity | 44°F | 44°F |
| Comfortable Days | 61 days | 61 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 46.9 | 38.7 |
| Air Quality | 101 AQI | 71 AQI |
| School Quality | 52.5 | 52.5 |
| Violent Crime | 2617/100k | 2629/100k |
| Property Crime | 4816/100k | 4443/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 562,551 | 37,601 |
| Median Age | 38.0 | 39.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.58 | 0.65 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | D+25 | D+25 |
| White (%) | 37.0% | 15.0% |
| Black (%) | 2.6% | 0.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 49.8% | 81.9% |
| Asian (%) | 2.9% | 0.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.7% | 2.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 15.2/20 | 10.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 5 mi | 4 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.9% | 76.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 11.43 | 57.98 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Albuquerque or South Valley more affordable?
- South Valley has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Albuquerque's $44k and South Valley's $44k. Median rent is $1k in Albuquerque versus $873 in South Valley.
- Is Albuquerque or South Valley safer?
- Albuquerque has the lower violent crime rate. Albuquerque reports 2617/100k and South Valley reports 2629/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Albuquerque or South Valley?
- The median home value is $246k in Albuquerque and $184k in South Valley, so homes are more affordable in South Valley.