The Town FilesLa Cienega, New Mexico
Community in Santa Fe County · population 3,885 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $517,100
- Household income
- $85,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 44.2
La Cienega is a community of 3,885 people in Santa Fe County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $517,100, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks better for retirees than 94% of New Mexico towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of New Mexico towns, more upscale than 91% of New Mexico towns.
How La Cienega 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 La Cienega is worth $517,100, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 6.1 times the median household income of $85,250, which is more affordable than 9% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $1,139 a month. 79.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | La Cienega | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $517,100 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $1,139 | $916 |
| Median household income | $85,250 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.1× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 79.8% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in La Cienega
| People | La Cienega | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.2 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.9% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 17.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.6% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.0% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.2% | — |
| Work from home | 12.6% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.5% | 82.9% |
Weather in La Cienega
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 19.9°F. About 10.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.2 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 41 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 153 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Cienega since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F1, struck on April 15, 1971 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 9, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on July 8, 2015.
Severe weather in Santa Fe County since 1996
Santa Fe County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4529: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3460: Covid-19 |
| October 29, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4199: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 29, 2013 | Flood | DR-4152: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3229: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Santa Fe County
Santa Fe County had 61,826 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,218 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in La Cienega itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Towns near La Cienega
- Agua Fria, NM7.9 mi · 2,913 people · home $270,400
- Santa Fe, NM9.3 mi · 87,505 people · home $444,900
- Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM10.7 mi · 6,005 people · home $591,900
- White Rock, NM16.7 mi · 5,852 people · home $500,700
- San Felipe Pueblo, NM19.5 mi · 2,542 people · home $210,100
- Los Alamos, NM23.9 mi · 13,179 people · home $501,800
- Placitas, NM25.7 mi · 5,041 people · home $562,100
- Española, NM29.4 mi · 10,526 people · home $210,800
La Cienega questions
Is La Cienega, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, La Cienega scores better for retirees than 94% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 90%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.2).
How much does a house cost in La Cienega?
The median owner-occupied home in La Cienega is valued at $517,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,250, so homes cost about 6.1 times income. Median rent is $1,139 a month.
What is the weather like in La Cienega?
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 19.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.7 inches of precipitation a year and 20.2 inches of snow.
Does La Cienega get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Cienega since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on April 15, 1971. 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)