Rio Rancho vs South Valley
Rio Rancho, 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.
Rio Rancho and South Valley 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 | South Valley |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $79k | $45k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $44k |
| Home Value | $247k | $184k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $873 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.81% | 0.78% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 7.62% | 7.62% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.95% | 11.62% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 33°F | 37°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3 in | 9.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 9.3 in | 6.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 291 days | 291 days |
| Summer Humidity | 44°F | 44°F |
| Comfortable Days | 46 days | 61 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 15.2 | 38.7 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 71 AQI |
| School Quality | 43.5 | 52.5 |
| Violent Crime | 1317/100k | 2629/100k |
| Property Crime | 1670/100k | 4443/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 104,351 | 37,601 |
| Median Age | 39.0 | 39.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.51 | 0.65 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | D+25 | D+25 |
| White (%) | 45.8% | 15.0% |
| Black (%) | 2.6% | 0.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 43.4% | 81.9% |
| Asian (%) | 1.7% | 0.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.3% | 2.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 7.1/20 | 10.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 18 mi | 4 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.2% | 76.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 8.62 | 57.98 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Rio Rancho or South Valley more affordable?
- South Valley has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Rio Rancho's $44k and South Valley's $44k. Median rent is $1k in Rio Rancho versus $873 in South Valley.
- Is Rio Rancho or South Valley safer?
- Rio Rancho has the lower violent crime rate. Rio Rancho reports 1317/100k and South Valley reports 2629/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Rio Rancho or South Valley?
- The median home value is $247k in Rio Rancho and $184k in South Valley, so homes are more affordable in South Valley.