The Town FilesPlacitas, New Mexico
Community in Sandoval County · population 5,041 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $562,100
- Household income
- $109,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 64.8
Placitas is a community of 5,041 people in Sandoval County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $562,100, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks better for retirees than 97% of New Mexico towns, better transit than 96% of New Mexico towns, more upscale than 95% of New Mexico towns.
How Placitas 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 Placitas is worth $562,100, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 5.1 times the median household income of $109,750, which is more affordable than 12% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $2,717 a month. 93.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Placitas | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $562,100 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $2,717 | $916 |
| Median household income | $109,750 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.1× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 93.9% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 2000 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.4% | — |
Who lives in Placitas
| People | Placitas | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 64.8 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 49.5% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 5.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65.5% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.2% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 13.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.0% | — |
| Work from home | 37.7% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.7% | 82.9% |
Weather in Placitas
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 23.9°F. About 10.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.7 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 62 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 118 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Placitas since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 13, 1988 about 8.3 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 4 times; the largest was 1.10 inches on September 30, 2017.
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 Placitas itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Towns near Placitas
- Bernalillo, NM6.3 mi · 8,977 people · home $255,500
- San Felipe Pueblo, NM8.2 mi · 2,542 people · home $210,100
- Sandia Heights, NM10.6 mi · 3,273 people · home $670,100
- Corrales, NM11.9 mi · 8,493 people · home $571,500
- North Valley, NM14.5 mi · 11,149 people · home $302,700
- Rio Rancho, NM14.7 mi · 104,046 people · home $310,200
- Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM15.9 mi · 5,874 people · home $492,400
- Paradise Hills, NM17.0 mi · 4,329 people · home $254,600
Placitas questions
Is Placitas, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Placitas scores better for retirees than 97% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 88%. 49.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 64.8).
How much does a house cost in Placitas?
The median owner-occupied home in Placitas is valued at $562,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $109,750, so homes cost about 5.1 times income. Median rent is $2,717 a month.
What is the weather like in Placitas?
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 23.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.9 inches of precipitation a year and 10.7 inches of snow.
Does Placitas get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Placitas 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)