← All States

New Mexico

D+10  ·  Moderate tax burden  ·  COL index 91

B+

5.9%

Income Tax

778

Violent Crime / 100K

74.1

Life Expectancy

$330K

Median Home

$950

Childcare / Mo

State Profile

33/100
255075100TAXES67SAFETY3HEALTH2SCHOOLS8AFFORDABLE84LONGEVITY34

Stay Current

Get notified when New Mexico tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Taxes

Income Tax

5.9% top

Property Tax

~$1,815/yr on median home

0.55% / yr

Sales Tax

7.82% avg

Social Security

Exempt

Pension / IRA

SS exempt as of 2023

Partial

Estate Tax

None

Inheritance Tax

None

Capital Gains

Taxed as income

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

91

Median Home Price

$330,000

Median Rent (2BR)

$1,250/mo

Home Insurance

$1,600/yr

Flood Insurance

$450/yr

Homestead Exemption

Home equity protected from creditors

$60,000

Asset Protection

Weak

Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate

Well above national avg

778 / 100K

Property Crime Rate

Above national avg

3,286 / 100K

Traffic Fatality Rate

17.4 / 100K

Healthcare

State Healthcare Rank

Bottom tier

#49 of 50

Life Expectancy

74.1 yrs

Medicaid Expansion

Expanded

Uninsured Rate

9.2%

Education

K-12 Quality Rank

Bottom 10 nationally

#46 of 50

School Choice / Vouchers

Not Available

Childcare

Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)

$950/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

Avg Monthly Energy Bill

$115/mo

Avg Monthly Groceries

2-person household, moderate spending

$460/mo

Road Quality Rank

#29 of 50

Airports & Travel

Nonstop Destinations

From state's primary airport

50+ routes

Major Hub Airport

Regional airport — connections via hub

No

Culture & Lifestyle

Urban Population

Mix of urban and rural

78% urban

Restaurant Density

440/100K

Religious Congregations

190/100K

Pro Sports Teams

NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS

None

Major Venues

Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)

3 venues

Craft Breweries

3.8/100K residents — Solid scene

80 breweries

Craft Distilleries

38 distilleries

Live Music

Santa Fe Opera (world-class); Meow Wolf performance spaces; Marble Brewery; Zozobra

Strong

Transportation

Car Insurance (Avg Annual)

$1,620

Traffic Fatality Rate

17.4 / 100K

Broadband Access

Below national avg

75% of households

Social & Legal

Abortion Access

No gestational limit; strong state protections

Protected

LGBTQ+ Protections

Comprehensive

Marijuana

Recreational

Minimum Wage

$12/hr

Right to Work

No

Sports Betting

Legal

Casino Gambling

Tribal casinos

Online Gambling

Illegal

State Lottery

Tribal casinos only. Small card rooms legal. Sports betting via tribal compacts.

Yes

Age of Consent

17

Sex Education

No state sex ed mandate

Comprehensive

Medically Accurate Required

Yes

Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs

Desert Shadows Inn (Santa Fe area) · Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs — clothing optional section

Clubs only

Environment & Climate

Air Quality (Annual AQI)

Near national avg

44

Natural Disaster Risk

High

Primary Hazards

wildfiredroughtflash-flood

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

D+10

Gun Laws

Gun ControlB-
2A LibertyC+

Carry Permit

Shall-issue

Purchase Permit Required

No

Gambling

Legal

Jobs & Economy

Job Market

+1.3% job growth · 4% unemployment

Moderate

Top Industries

GovernmentEnergyTourism

Tech Jobs

#32 of 50

Healthcare Jobs

#32 of 50

Remote Work

17% of workers

Median Household Income

$51,243

Daily Life

Gas Price (Regular)

Well below avg (-0.28 vs national avg)

$3.02/gal

Consumer Fireworks

Extreme fire risk — most fireworks frequently banned statewide

Restricted

Weather & Natural Risks

Winter Severity

Avg January high: 47°F

Mild

Summer Heat

Hot summers

94°F avg July

Annual Rainfall

14" / yr

Tornado Risk

Low

Hurricane Risk

Very Low

Wildfire Risk

Very High

Flood Risk

Low

Veteran Benefits

Veteran-Friendly Score

6.5% of state population are veterans

20/100

Property Tax Exemption

Partial exemption for service-connected disability

Disability Only

Military Retirement Pay

Taxed

Active Duty Pay

Taxed

VA Facilities Access

Adequate

Notable Benefits

Standard federal VA benefits

Explore New Mexico counties

Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county

Explore Counties

See your full cost of living in New Mexico

Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.

Calculate

Compare Similar States

NM vs IL

New Mexico vs Illinois

COL 91 vs 92 · 5.9% vs 4.95% income tax

Full comparison →

NM vs MN

New Mexico vs Minnesota

COL 91 vs 95 · 5.9% vs 9.85% income tax

Full comparison →

NM vs DE

New Mexico vs Delaware

COL 91 vs 102 · 5.9% vs 6.6% income tax

Full comparison →

NM vs VA

New Mexico vs Virginia

COL 91 vs 102 · 5.9% vs 5.75% income tax

Full comparison →

Stay Current

Get notified when New Mexico tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.

Your Priorities

Adjust and every page updates live

Quick Profiles

Dial in your priorities

Annual Income

$150K
$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0
None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None
None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K
Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K
Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care
Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care
Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care
Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city
Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care
Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care
Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral
LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral
Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral
Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None
AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care
Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral
Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition