Rio Rancho, NM
Census place 3563460 · pop 108,515
Hosts a major Intel semiconductor fabrication campus, one of New Mexico's largest private employers.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
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 24 min · worse than most cities
30 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
338 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
11.5% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1479 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$310,200 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 $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,726/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
34.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
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 $67,857 · better than most cities
$89,596 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
31.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.74% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
7.4% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
20.8% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
15.4% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
94.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
10.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.39 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+12.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
82.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
Frequently asked
- Is Rio Rancho, NM a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Rio Rancho scores 52/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is homeownership and its weakest is air quality (aqi). 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 Rio Rancho, NM?
- Rio Rancho reports 338 violent crimes per 100k and 1479 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Rio Rancho, NM expensive to live in?
- Rio Rancho has a median home value of $310,200 and typical rent around $1,726/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Rio Rancho, NM?
- Its weakest measured area is air quality (aqi) (61 AQI) — 7/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
- What is Rio Rancho, NM best at?
- Its strongest measured area is homeownership (82.2%) — 88/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Hosts a major Intel semiconductor fabrication campus, one of New Mexico's largest private employers.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.