1st Advantage MortgageLos Alamos County households have a median income of $147,139 and median rent of $1,375 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Los Alamos County, NM: the basics
- How much Los Alamos County households make
- The Los Alamos County job picture
- What it costs to live in Los Alamos County
- The communities that make up Los Alamos County
- Los Alamos County next to its neighbors
- Debt-to-income at Los Alamos County's medians
- Los Alamos County households compared
- Borrowing situations common in Los Alamos County
- Lender oversight for Los Alamos County
- A Los Alamos County borrower's checklist
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Los Alamos County, NM: the basics
With an estimated 19,435 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Los Alamos County ranks 20th of 33 in New Mexico for population. It covers 109 square miles of land, or about 178 people per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 2 places in the county (0 incorporated, 2 census-designated); the largest is Los Alamos, with about 13,317 residents, or 69% of the county.
How much Los Alamos County households make
Los Alamos County households have a median income of $147,139 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 1st of 32 in New Mexico.
| Band | Los Alamos County | Compared with New Mexico |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 8.0% | -20.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 21.4% | -19.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 40.7% | +17.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 30.0% | +22.1 pts |
The spread is wide: 71% of Los Alamos County households make $100,000 or more, and 8% make less than $35,000. Census counts 3.5% of Los Alamos County residents in poverty, against 17.8% across New Mexico. For a borrower in Los Alamos County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
The Los Alamos County job picture
The biggest employer of Los Alamos County residents, by industry, is professional and administrative services at 57% of workers, followed by education and health care (19%). Professional and administrative services stands out: 57% of workers here, versus 13% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 0.6% in Los Alamos County. 2% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 16% work from home. Households without a car make up 2.2% of the total (5.6% statewide).
| Where residents work | Los Alamos County | Difference from New Mexico |
|---|---|---|
| Professional and administrative services | 56.6% | +43.7 pts |
| Education and health care | 19.0% | -6.7 pts |
| Public administration | 6.6% | -0.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 4.5% | -6.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 3.1% | -6.9 pts |
| Construction | 2.5% | -5.1 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
What it costs to live in Los Alamos County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,375 in Los Alamos County versus $1,067 statewide. 29% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 2% spend half or more. With a median value of $495,800, a typical Los Alamos County house costs 3.4 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 75% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1974.
| Cost | Los Alamos County | New Mexico figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,375/mo | $1,067/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $495,800 | $248,100 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 75% | 70% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 29% | 50% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 10% | 29% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 5.1% | 15.5% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
The communities that make up Los Alamos County
The table lists the 2 largest of 2 Census places in Los Alamos County, by population. Together all 2 hold about 19,033 people, so roughly 2% of residents live outside any named place. None of the 2 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Alamos | CDP | 13,317 | $141,018 | $1,359 | 2 mi |
| White Rock | CDP | 5,716 | $156,639 | n/a | 7 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Los Alamos County next to its neighbors
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Los Alamos County's, from 31 to 78 miles away. Income ranges from $53,663 in Mora County to $86,636 in Sandoval County; none of these neighbors top Los Alamos County's median.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Alamos County | - | $147,139 | $1,375/mo | 75% |
| Santa Fe County, NM | 31 mi | $79,071 | $1,389/mo | 72% |
| Sandoval County, NM | 35 mi | $86,636 | $1,427/mo | 84% |
| Rio Arriba County, NM | 49 mi | $57,155 | $740/mo | 80% |
| Bernalillo County, NM | 60 mi | $69,473 | $1,144/mo | 65% |
| Taos County, NM | 61 mi | $58,950 | $1,034/mo | 78% |
| Mora County, NM | 78 mi | $53,663 | $887/mo | 87% |
Debt-to-income at Los Alamos County's medians
How much room does a median Los Alamos County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- $147,139 a year is $12,262 of gross monthly income
- Median rent: $1,375, or 11 cents of every gross dollar
- 36% debt-to-income limit: $3,039 left for all other debt payments
- $3,897: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Los Alamos County's.
Los Alamos County households compared
70% of Los Alamos County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 2.5%, against 9.6% for New Mexico.
| Residents | Los Alamos County | New Mexico | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | 39.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 69.7% | 31.0% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 1.7% | 12.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 2.5% | 9.6% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 2.2% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 15.6% | 12.2% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 3.5% | 17.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 0.6% | 6.0% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Los Alamos County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 49.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 43.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 5.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 1.0% |
| 60+ min | 1.0% |
Borrowing situations common in Los Alamos County
What the Los Alamos County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Consolidation math. With 71% at six figures, card consolidation is common; it pays only if total cost falls (guide).
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
Lender oversight for Los Alamos County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Los Alamos County, check the New Mexico Financial Institutions Division. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. See the New Mexico state guide for the statewide picture.
A Los Alamos County borrower's checklist
Before you apply, wherever you live in Los Alamos County:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Los Alamos County.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Related local guides
The New Mexico guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Los Alamos County household make?
About $147,139 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 130% above the New Mexico median.
How much is rent in Los Alamos County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,375 a month; 29% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I own my home in Los Alamos County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 75% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
I live in a small Los Alamos County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Los Alamos, White Rock.
Will a Los Alamos County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming New Mexico as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.