Carlsbad, New Mexico
Among the top 12% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 27% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 88% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 2% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 72% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 43% of US places
- top 5% for sunny days
- top 15% for property tax rate
- bottom 4% for monthly owner costs
Carlsbad is a mid-size city in New Mexico with about 32,000 residents. It grades A for weather and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include sunny days, property tax rate, and commute time. It rates lower on property crime and monthly owner costs.
- The median home value in Carlsbad is $173k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Carlsbad is $77k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Carlsbad is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Carlsbad has a violent crime rate of 1779/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Carlsbad is 21 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Hot, dry summers · Cool winters · Dry · Light snow
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86%77%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.6 in0.6 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$77k69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 43% of US places
Home Value$173k53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 30% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$8kbetter than 4% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.54%better than 85% of US places
Income Tax5.90%better than 33% of US places
Sales Tax7.62%better than 44% of US places
Estimated total tax burden9.62%better than 53% of US places
Unemployment3.0%better than 58% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)44°F78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)82°F84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation12.6 in5th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall2.7 inbetter than 72% of US places
Sunny Days299 daysbetter than 95% of US places
Summer Humidity57°Fbetter than 81% of US places
Comfortable Days61 daysbetter than 14% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk89.7better than 11% of US places
Air Quality51 AQIbetter than 20% of US places
School Quality54.4better than 43% of US places
Violent Crime1779/100kbetter than 11% of US places
Property Crime2842/100kbetter than 8% of US places
Community
Population31,75596th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age35.022nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5185th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0260th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5381st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)37.6%13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.9%65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)56.9%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.0%71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.6%46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 82% of US places
Walkability8.9/20better than 81% of US places
Airport Distance133 mibetter than 23% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.4%better than 37% of US places
Amenities Nearby25.19better than 25% of US places
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 82% of US places
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)
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Carlsbad an affordable place to live?
- Carlsbad is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $47k, better than 43% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Carlsbad safe?
- Carlsbad is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1779/100k (better than 11%). Property crime is 2842/100k.
- What is the weather like in Carlsbad?
- Carlsbad averages 82°F in July and 44°F in January, with 12.6 in of annual precipitation and about 299 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Carlsbad?
- Public-school quality in Carlsbad is about average, scoring better than 43% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Carlsbad?
- The average one-way commute in Carlsbad is 21 min.