Taos County, New Mexico
Among the top 23% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 69% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 60% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 56% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 77% of US counties
- top 1% for park & nature access
- top 1% for sunny days
- bottom 9% for comfortable days
Taos County is a county in New Mexico with about 34,000 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and D for affordability. Standout strengths include park & nature access, sunny days, and air quality. It rates lower on annual snowfall and comfortable days.
Official websitetaoscounty.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cold winters · Dry · Heavy snow
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87%74%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.6 in0.9 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$55k33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$50kbetter than 20% of US counties
Home Value$313k89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$982better than 25% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 25% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.40%better than 94% of US counties
Income Tax5.90%better than 24% of US counties
Sales Tax7.62%better than 42% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.66%better than 30% of US counties
Unemployment5.9%better than 28% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)29°F36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation15.0 in7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall41.5 inbetter than 19% of US counties
Sunny Days319 daysbetter than 99% of US counties
Summer Humidity48°Fbetter than 92% of US counties
Comfortable Days45 daysbetter than 9% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk74.3better than 25% of US counties
Air Quality20 AQIbetter than 95% of US counties
School Quality62.9better than 65% of US counties
Violent Crime614/100kbetter than 62% of US counties
Property Crime1226/100kbetter than 36% of US counties
Community
Population34,47558th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age49.893rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5385th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9831st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+561st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)35.6%8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.1%7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)56.8%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.7%54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.8%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 64% of US counties
Walkability6.3/20better than 57% of US counties
Airport Distance115 mibetter than 40% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.0%better than 42% of US counties
Amenities Nearby3.19better than 56% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 99% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Taos County an affordable place to live?
- Taos County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $50k, better than 20% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Taos County?
- The median home value in Taos County is $313k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Taos County?
- Median household income in Taos County is $55k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Taos County?
- Median gross rent in Taos County is $982 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Taos County safe?
- Taos County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 614/100k (better than 62%). Property crime is 1226/100k.
- What is the weather like in Taos County?
- Taos County averages 69°F in July and 29°F in January, with 15.0 in of annual precipitation and about 319 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Taos County?
- Public-school quality in Taos County is above average, scoring better than 65% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Taos County?
- The average one-way commute in Taos County is 23 min.
Other counties in New Mexico
Explore New Mexico
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- 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)