The Town FilesSanta Fe, New Mexico
City in Santa Fe County · population 87,505 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $444,900
- Household income
- $73,482
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 46.3
Santa Fe is a city of 87,505 people in Santa Fe County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $444,900, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks more walkable than 98% of New Mexico towns, more vibrant than 98% of New Mexico towns, better for young professionals than 95% of New Mexico towns.
How Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe is worth $444,900, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 6.1 times the median household income of $73,482, which is more affordable than 9% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $1,463 a month. 63.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Santa Fe | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $444,900 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $1,463 | $916 |
| Median household income | $73,482 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.1× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 63.6% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.4% | — |
Who lives in Santa Fe
| People | Santa Fe | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.3 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.2% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.8% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.9% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.3% | — |
| Work from home | 17.3% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.7% | 82.9% |
Weather in Santa Fe
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 17.9°F. About 12.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.2 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 169 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Santa Fe since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F1, struck on April 15, 1971 about 0.8 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 30 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on June 2, 2019.
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 Santa Fe itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in Santa Fe
39 public schools with 14,195 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SANTA FE HIGH | 9-12 | 1,599 | 18.4 |
| CAPITAL HIGH | 9-12 | 1,376 | 16.4 |
| EL CAMINO REAL ACADEMY COMMUNITY | PK-8 | 715 | 13.8 |
| TURQUOISE TRAIL CHARTER SCHOOL (charter) | PK-8 | 656 | 17.7 |
| NINA OTERO COMMUNITY SCHOOL | PK-8 | 644 | 15.7 |
| PINON ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 519 | 14.4 |
| EDWARD ORTIZ MIDDLE | 6-8 | 447 | 11.2 |
| RAMIREZ THOMAS ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 417 | 14.9 |
| PABLO ROYBAL ELEMENTARY | PK-3 | 399 | 13.8 |
| ACADEMY FOR TECHNOLOGY & CLASSICS (charter) | 7-12 | 396 | 16.5 |
| EL DORADO COMMUNITY SCHOOL | PK-8 | 392 | 13.1 |
| MONTE DEL SOL CHARTER (charter) | 7-12 | 356 | 14.2 |
Towns near Santa Fe
- Agua Fria, NM1.9 mi · 2,913 people · home $270,400
- La Cienega, NM9.3 mi · 3,885 people · home $517,100
- Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM9.7 mi · 6,005 people · home $591,900
- White Rock, NM16.2 mi · 5,852 people · home $500,700
- Chimayo, NM23.3 mi · 3,077 people · home $227,500
- Los Alamos, NM23.6 mi · 13,179 people · home $501,800
- Española, NM24.1 mi · 10,526 people · home $210,800
- San Felipe Pueblo, NM28.8 mi · 2,542 people · home $210,100
Santa Fe questions
Is Santa Fe, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Santa Fe scores better for retirees than 43% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 12%. 26.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.3).
How much does a house cost in Santa Fe?
The median owner-occupied home in Santa Fe is valued at $444,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,482, so homes cost about 6.1 times income. Median rent is $1,463 a month.
What is the weather like in Santa Fe?
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 17.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.8 inches of precipitation a year and 20.2 inches of snow.
Does Santa Fe get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Santa Fe 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)