The Town FilesBernalillo, New Mexico
Town in Sandoval County · population 8,977 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $255,500
- Household income
- $63,880
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 43.9
Bernalillo is a town of 8,977 people in Sandoval County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $255,500, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks more vibrant than 98% of New Mexico towns, more walkable than 95% of New Mexico towns, better transit than 94% of New Mexico towns.
How Bernalillo 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 Bernalillo is worth $255,500, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $63,880, which is more affordable than 29% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $902 a month. 76.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bernalillo | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $255,500 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $902 | $916 |
| Median household income | $63,880 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 76.9% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Bernalillo
| People | Bernalillo | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.9 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.2% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 17.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.5% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.9% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.7% | — |
| Work from home | 18.1% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.4% | 82.9% |
Weather in Bernalillo
July highs average 93.6°F and January lows 21.5°F. About 10.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.3 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 85 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 131 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bernalillo since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 13, 1988 about 2.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 19, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on May 4, 2025.
Severe weather in Sandoval County since 1996
Sandoval County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 26, 2026 | Flood | EM-3660: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| May 4, 2022 | Fire | DR-4652: Wildfires, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Mudflows, And Debris Flows |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4529: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3460: Covid-19 |
| June 15, 2017 | Fire | FM-5184: El Cajete Fire |
Jobs and pay in Sandoval County
Sandoval County had 35,653 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,474 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Bernalillo itself the ACS puts it at 6.9%.
Public schools in Bernalillo
6 public schools with 2,130 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BERNALILLO HIGH | 9-12 | 856 | 17.1 |
| BERNALILLO ELEMENTARY | 4-6 | 383 | 12.4 |
| WD CARROLL ELEMENTARY | K-3 | 377 | 12.2 |
| SPARTAN LEARNING ACADEMY | 7-8 | 267 | 8.3 |
| LA ESCUELITA EARLY CHILDHOOD | PK-PK | 128 | 11.6 |
| PLACITAS ELEMENTARY | K-6 | 119 | 11.9 |
Towns near Bernalillo
- Placitas, NM6.3 mi · 5,041 people · home $562,100
- Corrales, NM6.5 mi · 8,493 people · home $571,500
- Rio Rancho, NM8.4 mi · 104,046 people · home $310,200
- Sandia Heights, NM10.2 mi · 3,273 people · home $670,100
- North Valley, NM10.4 mi · 11,149 people · home $302,700
- Paradise Hills, NM11.5 mi · 4,329 people · home $254,600
- Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM11.6 mi · 5,874 people · home $492,400
- San Felipe Pueblo, NM11.8 mi · 2,542 people · home $210,100
Bernalillo questions
Is Bernalillo, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bernalillo scores better for retirees than 37% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 21%. 25.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.9).
How much does a house cost in Bernalillo?
The median owner-occupied home in Bernalillo is valued at $255,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,880, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $902 a month.
What is the weather like in Bernalillo?
July highs average 93.6°F and January lows 21.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.4 inches of precipitation a year and 9.3 inches of snow.
Does Bernalillo get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bernalillo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 13, 1988. 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)