Albuquerque, NM
Census place 3502000 · pop 562,218
Host of the world's largest hot air balloon festival, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
1194 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
4766 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
61 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
33 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
14.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.46 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
15.5% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+0.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$68,317 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
90.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
61.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$291,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
89/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.92% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
22 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.2% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
23.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
32.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
16.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
39.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,480/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
Frequently asked
- Is Albuquerque, NM a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Albuquerque scores 41/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is rent and its weakest is violent crime rate. New Mexico overall ranks #41 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Albuquerque, NM?
- Albuquerque reports 1194 violent crimes per 100k and 4766 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Albuquerque, NM expensive to live in?
- Albuquerque has a median home value of $291,500 and typical rent around $1,480/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Albuquerque, NM?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (1194/100k) — 2/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Albuquerque, NM best at?
- Its strongest measured area is rent ($1,480/mo) — 70/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Host of the world's largest hot air balloon festival, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.