Rio Rancho vs Roswell
Rio Rancho, New Mexico versus Roswell, New Mexico: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Rio Rancho and Roswell score about the same overall (50 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Rio Rancho | Roswell |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $79k | $48k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $46k |
| Home Value | $247k | $130k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $855 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.81% | 0.63% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 7.62% | 7.62% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.95% | 10.10% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 33°F | 43°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 83°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3 in | 13.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 9.3 in | 9.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 291 days | 309 days |
| Summer Humidity | 44°F | 56°F |
| Comfortable Days | 46 days | 54 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 15.2 | 72.5 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 27 AQI |
| School Quality | 43.5 | 47.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1317/100k | 3259/100k |
| Property Crime | 1670/100k | 2994/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 104,351 | 48,035 |
| Median Age | 39.0 | 35.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.51 | 0.50 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+25 | R+42 |
| White (%) | 45.8% | 33.8% |
| Black (%) | 2.6% | 1.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 43.4% | 61.2% |
| Asian (%) | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.3% | 2.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 7.1/20 | 9.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 18 mi | 152 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.2% | 73.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 8.62 | 20.82 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
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 Rio Rancho or Roswell more affordable?
- Rio Rancho has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Rio Rancho's $44k and Roswell's $46k. Median rent is $1k in Rio Rancho versus $855 in Roswell.
- Is Rio Rancho or Roswell safer?
- Rio Rancho has the lower violent crime rate. Rio Rancho reports 1317/100k and Roswell reports 3259/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Rio Rancho or Roswell?
- The median home value is $247k in Rio Rancho and $130k in Roswell, so homes are more affordable in Roswell.