Sierra County, New Mexico
Among the top 4% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 83% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 96% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 33% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 77% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 28% of US counties
- top 1% for sunny days
- top 4% for monthly owner costs
- bottom 12% for amenities nearby
Sierra County is a county in New Mexico with about 12,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and C for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include sunny days, monthly owner costs, and summer humidity. It rates lower on comfortable days and amenities nearby.
Official websitesierracountynm.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, dry summers · Cold winters · Dry
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
cool
cold
96%87%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.5 in0.4 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$35k4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 76% of US counties
Home Value$138k37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$729better than 72% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$963better than 96% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.53%better than 83% of US counties
Income Tax5.90%better than 24% of US counties
Sales Tax7.62%better than 42% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.50%better than 32% of US counties
Unemployment4.7%better than 50% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)42°F71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation10.5 in2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall1.2 inbetter than 76% of US counties
Sunny Days332 daysbetter than 99% of US counties
Summer Humidity50°Fbetter than 91% of US counties
Comfortable Days54 daysbetter than 13% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk55.8better than 43% of US counties
School Quality53.2better than 47% of US counties
Violent Crime1020/100kbetter than 34% of US counties
Property Crime1238/100kbetter than 35% of US counties
Community
Population11,50626th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age55.498th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3661st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0267th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2232nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)61.4%25th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.2%11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)32.1%91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.3%27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.0%85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Walkability7.2/20better than 78% of US counties
Airport Distance97 mibetter than 51% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access77.3%better than 21% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 82% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Sierra County an affordable place to live?
- Sierra County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $43k, better than 76% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Sierra County?
- The median home value in Sierra County is $138k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Sierra County?
- Median household income in Sierra County is $35k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Sierra County?
- Median gross rent in Sierra County is $729 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Sierra County safe?
- Sierra County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1020/100k (better than 34%). Property crime is 1238/100k.
- What is the weather like in Sierra County?
- Sierra County averages 80°F in July and 42°F in January, with 10.5 in of annual precipitation and about 332 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Sierra County?
- Public-school quality in Sierra County is about average, scoring better than 47% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
Other counties in New Mexico
Explore New Mexico
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)