Roswell, NM
Census place 3564930 · pop 47,638
Site of the 1947 Roswell UFO incident, the most famous alleged flying-saucer crash in history.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
853 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
81.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.52 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
20.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
26.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$51,583 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2560 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
18.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
39.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
31.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-0.6% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
15.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
17.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.5% 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 67.2% · better than most cities
68.6% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.65% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,326/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 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 · better than most cities
18 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$152,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
56/100 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 42 AQI · better than most cities
27 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Frequently asked
- Is Roswell, NM a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Roswell scores 45/100 — 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 air quality (aqi) 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 Roswell, NM?
- Roswell reports 853 violent crimes per 100k and 2560 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Roswell, NM expensive to live in?
- Roswell has a median home value of $152,600 and typical rent around $1,326/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Roswell, NM?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (853/100k) — 5/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Roswell, NM best at?
- Its strongest measured area is air quality (aqi) (27 AQI) — 96/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Site of the 1947 Roswell UFO incident, the most famous alleged flying-saucer crash in history.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.