Best Life Index › States › New Mexico › Cities › Santa Fe

New Mexico city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Santa Fe?

What it costs to live in Santa Fe, and how it compares with other New Mexico cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

27

13th best value in New Mexico

How much you get for what you pay, versus other New Mexico cities.

Overall livability

35

12th overall in New Mexico

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Santa Fe is home to about 86,935 people. A typical home runs $312,300 and a household earns around $62,000, a price-to-income ratio of 5.0. Among New Mexico's largest cities, it ranks 13th for value and 12th overall.

Santa Fe at a glance

Median home price

$312,300

14th in NM of 14

Median rent

$1,199/mo

Median household income

$62,000

Home price to income

5.0x

Unemployment

4.9%

4th in NM of 14

School rating

5/10

4th in NM of 14

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in NM of 14

Walk score

9/100

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‹ See all top New Mexico cities ranked  ยท  New Mexico state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within New Mexico only. Updated 2026.