The Town FilesBelen, New Mexico
City in Valencia County · population 7,360 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $166,100
- Household income
- $42,627
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 37.1
Belen is a city of 7,360 people in Valencia County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $166,100, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of New Mexico towns, better transit than 91% of New Mexico towns, more walkable than 89% of New Mexico towns.
How Belen ranks
Percentile among New Mexico towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Mexico towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Belen is worth $166,100, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $42,627, which is more affordable than 32% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $916 a month. 73.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Belen | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $166,100 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $916 | $916 |
| Median household income | $42,627 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 73.2% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Belen
| People | Belen | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.9% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.6% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 31.2% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.9% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.6% | 82.9% |
Weather in Belen
July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 19.0°F. About 9.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.1 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 92 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Belen since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 27, 1975 about 6.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 25, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on September 30, 1998.
Severe weather in Valencia County since 1996
Valencia County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 10, 2025 | Flood | EM-3628: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| June 22, 2025 | Fire | FM-5594: Cotton 2 Fire |
| June 21, 2025 | Fire | FM-5593: Desert Willow Fire Complex |
| April 18, 2025 | Fire | FM-5579: Rio Grande Fire |
| May 4, 2022 | Fire | DR-4652: Wildfires, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Mudflows, And Debris Flows |
Jobs and pay in Valencia County
Valencia County had 17,446 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,642 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Belen itself the ACS puts it at 8%.
Public schools in Belen
9 public schools with 3,359 students, about 16.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BELEN HIGH | 9-12 | 1,044 | 21.3 |
| BELEN MIDDLE | 7-8 | 493 | 14.9 |
| LA MERCED ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 433 | 15.5 |
| RIO GRANDE ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 359 | 13.3 |
| GIL SANCHEZ ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 304 | 13.8 |
| DENNIS CHAVEZ ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 281 | 13.4 |
| CENTRAL ELEMENTARY | 4-6 | 183 | 13.1 |
| BELEN FAMILY SCHOOL | 1-8 | 139 | 27.8 |
| BELEN INFINITY HIGH | 9-12 | 123 | 24.6 |
Towns near Belen
- Los Lunas, NM2.6 mi · 17,242 people · home $262,900
- Los Chaves, NM3.5 mi · 4,997 people · home $285,700
- El Cerro, NM6.5 mi · 2,946 people · home $311,500
- Peralta, NM8.2 mi · 3,342 people · home $299,200
- Bosque Farms, NM8.6 mi · 4,020 people · home $293,100
- El Cerro Mission, NM9.3 mi · 4,566 people · home $115,300
- Rio Communities, NM9.9 mi · 4,926 people · home $205,900
- Meadow Lake, NM13.7 mi · 4,573 people · home $77,900
Belen questions
Is Belen, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Belen scores better for retirees than 40% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 41%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Belen?
The median owner-occupied home in Belen is valued at $166,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,627, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $916 a month.
What is the weather like in Belen?
July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 19.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.2 inches of precipitation a year and 5.1 inches of snow.
Does Belen get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Belen since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 27, 1975. The typical New Mexico town has had 3.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)